For old times’ sake
Once upon a time, there was a large trading pit in Amsterdam. Instead of dedicated long distance lines and high frequency trading, market makers could actually see each other. Things have changed, it has been more than eight years now and only folks like Sem van Berkel still resist the change. Anyway, the website optiebeursvloer.nl has a few nice photographs on their site and a large (70 mb) video of the open outcry trading (sorry, dead link). Nice to see your fellow traders in the old days, and even beter ; April 8th there’s a reunion party in the Escape in Amsterdam for (former) option traders, brokers and Euronext staff. Tickets over here, 20 euro with drinks included sounds like a true bargain.
More important, the annual poker tournament for traders is coming up as well. Last year the prestigious title was won by Gunnar Harms from the neat performing hedgefund HiQ. A buy-in of 200 euro isn’t cheap, as there is no price money attached. All proceeds from the poker night are donated to charity, there’s no management fee or any expenses at all – sponsors have arranged free drinks and the location. The charity this year is the Dutch Cystic Fibrosis foundation. Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic and cruel disease, which has impact on the whole body but most notably troubles breathing. Serious progress has been made through research, life expectancy has risen but is still only 40 years and no cure exists.
A group of 30 traders from several firms already confirmed their participation, there’s room for 120 players. Last year was a big succes, mark the date of saturday April 16th in your agenda for some No Limit Texas Hold ’em poker.
- Official flyer in English.
Great, will join both of ‘m
Hey Jack.
That’s a nice picture.
Maybe 97?
Who can name all the people on there?
I see you too btw.
Oh and I forget I am also on the pic there too !
nice, u two can now suck each other off, in complete privacy, now that the floor is unoccupied,
‘Tickets over here, 20 euro with drinks included sounds like a true bargain.’
jack are u offering this at 20 euro, too high, i dont wanna lift it, but then i dont wanna be dutch, tho i luv the dutchland,
‘Great, will join both of ‘m’
is that you Jack ? stop advertising ur 20 euro offer, too high,
Are the guys with the sheets in their hands the Market Makers ?
Who are the guys on the desks on the extreme left and extreme right ?
Order Book Officials aka OBOs
Is that randal meijer in the yellow shirt on the right around 7-8 from the bottom ?
He looks distracted and looking elsewhere.
Click on pic to enlarge and I see Jerry 😉 who can find him?
Two guys for every guy.
That is not randal.
why is everybody wearing a stupid tie .. is this a client meeting or board presentation ..
who is Jerry ?
‘Two guys for every guy.’
wat ??!
How many people left at All Options now total???
Are they closing curacao now as well and only keeping Amsterdam?
From 300 down to 80….and counting…
Curacao will stay open.
‘From 300 down to 80….and counting…’
good move, 300 people cant be paid based on AO’s revenue generation capability,
The guy in the yellow shirt looking away is Randal. it is the optiver corner. Slightly behind him is Edvin van der kruk in a white shirt and black suspenders. You can tell by his intimidating size and forward bending neck posture.
are u randal ?
No, i’m Dowson. Now fuck you!!!!!
calm down dowson, go take ur speed boat for a ride, go on,
Some people are suggesting that All Options is <50 people now is it true??
Down from 350!
Dowson tried to sail from USA to Australia, but didnt get out of the harbour as he hammered a hole in the bottom and it sank, much to the delight of bemused spectators including Randal. The boat belonged to Optiver shareholders.
Jerry de Leeuw, IEX columnist on options, is standing next to Randal. His hand against his chin.
That is the Ahold crowd. The guy talking to Jerry used to be a local in the pit he was one of the more senior people there.
On the left of Jerry is Adrian Molloy the Aussie guy wearing the glasses who worked for IDE.
Just under him with the short blond hair is Michael who was with Hobijn Options.
To his left the short guy looks like Vincent Kuik from Fortis.
Row behind him is Philip Dop at the top (Mako), possibly Gijs from Optiver and under that Edwin van Hanegem (with the huge Timberhill computer)
To their left is James Storr Brown who was at Mako and the blond guy infront of him is also another colleague.
Below the ahold crowd the old guy with grey hair is Ad Klinkenberg talking to two of his staff, Thijs Roest who was a partner at KRG (klinkenberg roest groen) is on the other side of the picture.
why are most of them wearing ties ?
NoNo the Fashion Victim is also at the back of the picture on left side nxt to tall dude in the yellow jacket.
Who’s the cute blondie at the top left side…next to the bold dude…?!
the one close to the guy from tibra??
I am Dowson and promise to hunt down every single one of you
Which guy from tibra? I would hope that the picture is from a bit later than 1997 if there is anyone in it that is still trading …
‘I am Dowson and promise to hunt down every single one of you’
that reminds me of bhandari, allard, eggbert and den drijver’s witch-hunting .. calm down eh,
@10.34pm – the dude in the middle of the picture is Bas from IMC who later joined Tibra
and the pic is from 98 not 97
@6.30pm That’s Lotte from Schamhart (AFS). The bolde dude is Jos. Picture is from aug/sep 1998
I also see Scrocca
The picture was taken on Oct. 2 1998. At 16:07 to be precise. Market was down 5% at this point. Look at the big sign in the background instead of staring at same sex members.
LOL! ;-D
Why ties?
Exchange rules were that you had to wear a tie. No tie meant fine!
Lotte (zucht). Very pretty face, nice girl anyway (a bit short).
Tall dude in yellow jacket is Van Der Pal (crazy as a door; Dutch expression).
‘The picture was taken on Oct. 2 1998. At 16:07 to be precise. Market was down 5% at this point’
If i look at BBG, it says AEX around 376 on that day, whereas the board is saying 876.43 and down 40.4 ??! was aex rebased or something ?
‘Exchange rules were that you had to wear a tie. No tie meant fine!’
no wonder exchange pit trading is extinct, having those stupid rules cud never survive for long ..
Evidently the board is printing the AEX in guilders. 376 in euros translates to 828 in guilders (876 – 40 odd points).
‘Evidently the board is printing the AEX in guilders.’
nice, era of multi currency, wats the group’s market on number of days before one of the countries exit (leave or ejected) .. one of the CFD shops had a 700-710 as market .. pretty tight market i wud say !
Exchange rules were that you have a penis.
that did not change
Oh my…..Do I see here the one and only….the holy….number 1 star big swinging d*ck trader of PAN from Zug?
With the beautifull stylish red jacket somewhere on the right bottom! At that moment earning his first bucks as a rookie for Optiver…
Yes it is! The youngster!
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