Press release

11 April 2024 — ZISHI, the premier training and education partner specialising in learning and development solutions for financial services businesses, proudly marks the fifth year of its partnership with Mako, a global leader in options market making and proprietary trading. Together, they have embarked on a mission to empower students, graduates, and professionals through immersive educational experiences, fostering talent and diversity within the financial industry.

Since 2020, ZISHI and Mako have jointly pioneered intern and graduate programmes, options courses for back-office staff, and sponsorship initiatives. “We are delighted to mark four years of collaboration with Mako,” said Chris Jenkins, CEO at ZISHI. “It has been packed with shared values, learning and growth, and is a privilege to provide invaluable, and rather unique, opportunities for individuals to enhance their skills and knowledge in the financial markets, setting them up for success in their careers.”

With essential market making knowledge delivered by ZISHI’s expert trainer-practitioners, this summer will see the fifth consecutive year of hands-on experience for Mako interns. Utilising Volcube, ZISHI’s proprietary trading simulation software, the programme offers unrivalled training for aspiring financial professionals.

Reflecting on his experience, Eren, a former intern and 2022 graduate trader from Mako’s London office, remarked, “I found the training with ZISHI engaging and enjoyable. Volcube provided valuable practical experience, particularly in understanding volatility and skew when trading as a market maker.”

The partnership expanded to include ZISHI’s delivery of Mako’s London-based graduate programmes. Led by expert trainer-practitioners, participants are equipped with skills essential for success in options market making. Dylan, a 2023 graduate trader from Mako’s London office, shared, “The teaching style at ZISHI was complementary to my university studies. Combining tutelage from expert instructors with Volcube practice was an excellent springboard into my industry position.”

Breaking geographical boundaries, ZISHI delivered Mako’s graduate programme remotely to their Sydney-based recruits for the first time earlier this year and, testament to the quality of tuition and engagement, will be delivered again later in 2024 to the UK cohort. Indeed, having participated on the Sydney-based programme, Darcy said: “ZISHI’s training programme was a highly engaging and enjoyable learning experience, helping me improve and reinforce my understanding of financial markets and derivatives. [ZISHI’s trainer’s] teaching was very informative and insightful, especially with his ability to leverage both his experience and his British humour. Volcube as a learning tool provided practical (if simulated) experience in market making, introducing us to volatility and market flow. The programme as a whole has been an invaluable stepping stone to a hopefully successful career.”

Attracting industry acclaim through its mission to support the next generation of financial market participants, and illustrative of Mako and ZISHI’s shared values to provide access to financial education to students from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in the sector, Mako joined ZISHI’s widening participation initiative in 2023 and is further expanding support in 2024.

Indeed, true to Mako’s style, the impact of their sponsorship was elevated through highly valued contributions from Miles Hayward, who runs their Graduate Trader programme, along with other members of the Mako tech and trading teams, who brought expertise to an immersive day for Durham University’s Level 5 Advanced Diploma in Financial Trading students. Speaking of their presence, “the enthusiasm and appreciation from students was evident,” says Robert Russell, ZISHI’s global head of professional trader qualifications. “Through combining financial assistance with other industry contributors, Mako will enable dozens of students from universities such as Durham, Bath, and Sheffield Hallam to partake in our Level 5 and Level 7 trading qualification programmes, thus furthering the collective mission of inclusivity within the industry.”

Miles Hayward, business partner at Mako, excellently summaries the joint value of the partnership: “since establishing a relationship in 2020, Mako has been working closely with ZISHI on their global, Graduate and Intern Programmes, bringing a new level of engagement to our aspiring, young traders and software engineers. At Mako, we share the same vision that education is paramount for establishing a solid understanding of the complex world of options market making. Through this partnership, we have witnessed meaningful growth and learning on both sides, underscoring our journey’s focus on nurturing talent. It has been a pleasure collaborating with the team at ZISHI!”

Looking ahead, and through their continued partnership, ZISHI and Mako remain committed to empowering future financial professionals and fostering diversity and inclusion within the industry.

ENDS

About ZISHI:

ZISHI | Resilience Through Knowledge. At the forefront of financial services training and qualifications for leaders, corporations and students, and for every level of financial markets trading. Delivering specialist knowledge to build resilience and support growth through our global network of expert trainers, consultants and practitioners to help you master tomorrow’s success.

For further information, please contact: Suzanne Sirett, Marketing Director, ZISHI, suzanne.sirett@thezishi.com