The TMX Group's (TSX:TMX) CEO says that as president of a proposed exchange operator formed in a merger with the London Stock Exchange, he would personally be able to ensure Canadian interests are at the heart of the new company's corporate culture.
Tom Kloet says he would have expanded responsibilities under any new company as both CEO of TMX Group and president of the proposed merged company.
That means Kloet would direct the strategy and management of all the merged company's business units and exchanges from Toronto, he told the Toronto Board of Trade.
Therefore,he says, efforts to attract, retain and nurture listings for companies of all sizes would be directed from Toronto for the entire group, which would also operate exchanges in London and Italy.
Kloet says he has been speaking with various stakeholders, from politicians to miners to bankers to persuade them a merger would benefit, not harm, Canadian interests.
The proposed merger--which is technically a takeover of the TMX Group by the LSE group -- has met with opposition from those who worry it could undermine Canadian oversight and leave Canada's biggest stock exchange dominated by foreign interests.
