Michael Jenkins played a critical role in the globalization of the futures industry. As the first chief executive of the London International Financial Futures Exchange, a position he held for over a decade, he guided the emergence and rapid growth of the first exchange in Europe to offer financial futures. Along with John Barkshire and Jack Wigglesworth, he established a new financial institution from scratch and helped create a colorful new trading culture in London. After leaving Liffe in 1992, Jenkins served in several capacities in the industry, including non-executive chairman of the London Commodity Exchange, chairman of the London Clearing House, and founding chairman of the Futures and Options Association. At LCH, he oversaw the conversion of the institution’s ownership structure, its evolution into a central counterparty for a wide range of asset classes, and its merger with Clearnet.
