Barclays Hires Goldman’s Johnsonas Head of Equities, APAC, to Strengthen Regional Presence

​Barclays has appointed Paul Johnson as the new Head of Equities for Asia Pacific, a role designed to oversee the firm’s equities operations in the region, including equity derivatives, equity-linked financing, electronic trading, and prime brokerage. Johnson, who will be based in Hong Kong, will report to Scott McDavid, the Global Head of Equities, while regionally answering to Jaideep Khanna, CEO of Barclays Asia Pacific and Head of Markets for the region.

The appointment is part of Barclays’ broader strategy to enhance its equities platform across Asia Pacific, an area the bank sees as critical to its global equities business. The firm has been focused on bolstering its operations in the region as part of a larger push to increase its market share in key financial sectors such as equity derivatives and electronic trading.

Johnson’s career spans over two decades in equities and derivatives markets, with a focus on emerging market areas. Before joining Barclays, Johnson was a senior executive at Goldman Sachs, where he served as Co-Head of Equity Derivatives for the Asia Pacific region and Head of Exotics Equity Derivatives Trading. His time at Goldman Sachs included leadership positions in the firm’s equity trading operations for Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America.

The new appointment signals Barclays’ intent to build out its equities capabilities in a region that has become increasingly important for both global and regional players in the financial services industry. Johnson will work closely with other key executives within Barclays, including Christian Treuer, Head of Equities Distribution for APAC, to develop and expand the bank’s equities-related offerings.

While Barclays has not provided specific financial targets for the region, the appointment is aligned with the bank's ongoing three-year plan to enhance its equities business globally. As part of this strategy, Barclays has been focusing on shifting capital toward more profitable areas of its operations, including prime brokerage and equity derivatives, while strengthening its product and client coverage. Johnson’s task will be to integrate these business lines while improving the firm’s coverage of institutional clients across Asia Pacific.

Johnson’s experience at Goldman Sachs, particularly his leadership in equity derivatives and structured products trading, is seen as valuable as Barclays continues to navigate the increasingly competitive equities market in the region. His expertise in building out derivatives businesses in both developed and emerging markets will be crucial as Barclays seeks to extend its reach in Asia, particularly in markets where the firm has room for growth.

Overall, the move highlights Barclays’ focus on strengthening its regional leadership in Asia Pacific, with Johnson expected to play a key role in executing the firm’s strategy for growth in the equities sector. While Barclays has set ambitious goals for expanding its presence in the region, the challenges of integrating multiple product lines and maintaining competitive offerings in a rapidly changing financial environment will require steady execution and careful management of resources.