In this Q&A, Cees Vermaas, CEO of The International Stock Exchange (TISE) catches up over coffee with Chloe Meley from Bloomberg UK for their morning subscriber email, The London Rush.

Cees Vermaas is the Netherlands-born CEO of The International Stock Exchange (TISE), a Guernsey-based exchange specialised in bonds, and a former executive at Euronext. TISE has recently launched a facility for buying and selling shares in private companies, as bigger peers face a continued IPO drought.

What made you pick your job? It was the middle of lockdown and I got in touch with the chairman of TISE. Brexit was going to be implemented in 2021, and they saw that the Channel Islands were almost getting a new competitor with the UK getting out of Europe. They were looking for an experienced capital markets executive who could actually help TISE step up. I thought it was a very entrepreneurial challenge, and that drove me to Guernsey.

How do you save time? I have a technical kind of mindset, so it’s all about prioritising and organising. I also think it’s very important to balance out with doing the things you like. I’m a big sports fanatic; I sail and I’m a private pilot. Those are quite demanding hobbies, but I always make sure to find time.

Where do you go for a working lunch? When I’m in London, anywhere around One New Change, it’s a lovely area to have lunch, sit down or have a beer after work. 

What book do you always recommend? 1984, George Orwell. It’s always relevant and it’s amazing it was written at the time that it was.

Top podcast recommendation? I listen to a lot of podcasts about the challenges we as a community on Earth are facing, such as climate, technology, AI. I like Tech Talks Daily and I also listen to a Dutch podcast on geopolitics called New World to keep the connection with the Netherlands. 

Who's your dream dinner party guest? Elon Musk, but four months ago. I’m interested in where he comes from, how he thinks, but I can't really explain what he’s doing now.

What do you most want to achieve in your career? Progress, learning, fun. It’s absolutely fantastic to move something forward and to give it a future and a vision. At the start of my career, I wish someone had told me...Don't believe everything people tell you immediately. Be a bit more suspicious, be careful. I learned that the hard way and I always say to my kids, just consider that 80% of the people you meet are not aligned with what you are thinking.

This article was originally published by Bloomberg UK for the 31 March issue of The London Rush.