CEOs in the News

A Stock Market CEO is Being Probed for Insider Trading

Authorities from https://www.forex.academy have confirmed that the head of one of the world’s biggest stock exchanges is under investigation for possible insider trading.

German prosecutors said this morning their investigation of Deutsche Boerse CEO Carsten Kengeter relates to talks held between the company’s management and the London Stock Exchange shortly before they announced merger talks.

Deutsch Boerse’s supervisory board chairman Joachim Faber has described the accusations as “groundless”, according to Reuters.

It’s not often that CEOs of large public companies get caught up in insider trading cases, but almost unheard of for exchange CEOs, who run outfits that usually have large corporate governance arms tasked with stomping the practice out.

“It’s not often that CEOs of large public companies get caught up in insider trading cases, but almost unheard of for exchange CEOs.

Last year, the former CEO of ASX, which runs Australia’s main stock exchange, stood down in the face of an investigation by local authorities, though that was over an alleged payment to the Cambodian prime minister as part of a bribery probe.

Frankfurt-based Deutsche Boerse had already confirmed late Wednesday that the Frankfurt public prosecutor had opened an investigation into Kengeter’s purchase in December, 2015 of company shares as part of a remuneration program. The companies started talking about a €23 billion ($26 billion) merger in January, 2016 before going public in February via an announcement that lifted both companies’ shares prices.

The share purchases were part of a recently-enacted incentive scheme approved by the board. “Such [a] programme provides for an investment of the executive board members in shares of Deutsche Boerse,” the company said in a statement, adding that it and the CEO would fully cooperate with the public prosecutor.

The Frankfurt prosecutor’s office said in a statement this morning that it had searched offices at Deutche Boerse’s headquarters on Wednesday in connection with a €4.5 million purchase of shares by Kengeter. The search was conducted to review the course of talks up to February 23, 2016, when the merger negotiations were made public, it said.

Ross Kelly

Ross Kelly is a London-based business journalist. He has been a staff correspondent or editor at The Wall Street Journal, Yahoo Finance and the Australian Associated Press.

Share
Published by
Ross Kelly

Recent Posts

In An Era Of Constant Investment Pressure, Quarterly Reports Aren’t The Problem

As investor influence expands beyond earnings season, companies need better ways to control their narrative.

11 hours ago

From Factory Floor To The C-Suite

American Leather president and COO Veronica Schnitzius is applying lessons learned from a wide-ranging career…

12 hours ago

Can Tracking Heart Rate Variability Improve Your Health?

Paying attention to HRV values can be a helpful tool to learn about your body’s…

16 hours ago

Gallagher Insurance Exec Shannon Gallagher: ‘Give Your Employees Life’

According to Gallagher, mentorship starts with curiosity: 'Get to know people, be present. This is…

3 days ago

After Tariff Whiplash, EarthQuaker Devices CEO Keeps Playing Offense

From weekly war-room meetings to testifying in D.C., Julie Robbins has spent the past year…

3 days ago

Manufacturing Confidence Rebounds In Face Of Global Volatility 

Despite stressors associated with heightened global risk mounting since early 2026, U.S. manufacturers express increased…

7 days ago