Vincent Viola

Vincent Viola built his career as a floor trader and eventual Chairman at the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX), where he developed deep expertise in energy and commodity futures. He co-founded Virtu Financial in 2008, bridging his experience from open-outcry floor trading with the emerging world of electronic market making. Viola oversaw Virtu's early development and its expansion from commodities into equities, options, and global markets. He stepped back from day-to-day management as the firm matured. He was nominated for Secretary of the Army under President Trump in 2017 but withdrew his nomination. He also owns the Florida Panthers NHL hockey franchise. His ability to translate the risk management instincts of open-outcry floor trading into the technology-driven world of electronic market making positioned Virtu as one of the most successful transitions from traditional exchange floor operations to modern quantitative trading infrastructure.