Product Manager (Derivatives Exchange)

Position Overview

We are seeking a motivated and analytical Product Management professional to support the research, development and commercial management of exchange-traded derivatives products.

The successful candidate will be responsible for identifying new product opportunities, conducting market research and competitor benchmarking, evaluating product feasibility, and supporting the development and launch of futures, options and other exchange-traded products.

The role requires a strong understanding of financial markets, derivatives products and industry trends, together with the ability to translate market insights into commercially viable product proposals.

Key Responsibilities

1. Product Research & Market Analysis

• Conduct market research to identify emerging trends and opportunities across futures, options and other exchange-traded derivatives.
• Analyse market developments across asset classes, including equities, ETFs, commodities, foreign exchange, digital assets and other emerging markets.
• Benchmark APEX's products against competing exchanges, including contract specifications, trading volumes, liquidity, fee structures and market positioning.
• Monitor industry developments, regulatory changes and new product launches by global derivatives exchanges.
• Identify potential product gaps and recommend opportunities to strengthen APEX's product offering.

2. New Product Development & Feasibility Assessment

• Evaluate new product proposals based on market demand, target clients, underlying assets, pricing benchmarks, liquidity and commercial viability.
• Develop business cases for proposed products, including market opportunities, target customer segments, projected trading volumes, revenue potential and competitive positioning.
• Research and recommend appropriate contract specifications, including contract size, tick size, trading hours, expiry structure and settlement methodology.
• Assess potential benchmark and index providers, including their methodologies, reliability and suitability.
• Collaborate with internal departments, including Trading Operations, Clearing, Risk, Compliance, Legal and Technology, to support product feasibility assessments.

3. Product Launch & Implementation

• Coordinate with relevant internal stakeholders to support the development and launch of new derivatives products.
• Prepare contract specifications, regulatory checklists, reference contract comparisons and supporting documentation.
• Track product development milestones and ensure timely completion of assigned deliverables.
• Support the preparation of product materials, presentations, FAQs and training resources for brokers and trading clients.
• Work closely with Business Development and Marketing teams to support product launches and promotional activities.

4. Product Performance Monitoring & Enhancement

• Monitor the performance of existing products, including trading volume, open interest, liquidity, active trading participants and revenue contribution.
• Analyse product performance against business objectives and industry benchmarks.
• Identify underperforming products and recommend improvements to contract specifications, fee structures or market development strategies.
• Evaluate opportunities for product enhancements, liquidity programmes and product rationalisation.
• Prepare regular product performance reports and management updates.
• Monitor and evaluate market maker performance, including quoting activity, bid-ask spreads, market depth, and compliance with quoting obligations.

5. Product Strategy & Industry Engagement

• Maintain and update the product development pipeline and commercial product roadmap.
• Engage with brokers, market makers, liquidity providers and institutional trading clients to gather product feedback and assess market demand.
• Support discussions with benchmark providers, data vendors and other potential product partners.
• Participate in relevant industry conferences, seminars and product development discussions.
• Provide market intelligence and strategic recommendations to management.

Job Requirements

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Economics, Business, Financial Engineering, Mathematics or a related discipline.
• Preferably 5–10 years of relevant experience in derivatives exchanges, financial markets, product management, brokerage, trading or market research.
• Candidates with relevant experience in futures, options, commodities, FX, equities, ETFs or digital-asset derivatives will have an advantage.
• Experience in product development, financial analysis or exchange-traded derivatives is preferred.

Skills & Competencies

• Good understanding of futures, options and exchange-traded derivatives.
• Familiarity with derivatives contract specifications, trading mechanisms, clearing and settlement concepts.
• Strong research, analytical and financial modelling skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint and other analytical tools.
• Ability to interpret market data, trading statistics and industry research.
• Familiarity with Bloomberg, Refinitiv, exchange market data or similar platforms is an advantage.
• Proficient in both English and Mandarin with oral, written and presentation abilities, to liaise with Chinese-speaking stakeholders.

Personal Attributes

• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Commercial awareness and interest in global financial markets.
• Good written and verbal communication skills.
• Detail-oriented, organised and able to manage multiple projects.
• Proactive, independent and comfortable working in a lean team.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with internal stakeholders and external market participants.