LONDON and NEW YORK, (September 12, 2007) – BGC Partners, a leading provider of brokerage services to wholesale fixed income, interest rate, foreign exchange and derivative markets worldwide, announced today that despite the challenging trading conditions facing its clients, it raised over $6 million for charity on its highly successful Third Annual Global Charity Day held on Tuesday, 11 September 2007.
The London event, held at BGC’s global headquarters at Canary Wharf, was supported by various guests including Joe Calzaghe, Steve Davis, Frankie Dettori, Martin Johnson, Amir Khan, Sir Steve Redgrave, Sir Alex Ferguson, Sir Peter O’Sullevan, and Ronnie O’Sullivan (please see full guest list attached). Guests helped to raise money by assisting with multimillion dollar deals on the trading floor.
Other activities held on the day included a press conference with Joe Calzaghe and Amir Khan, a special ‘trick-shot’ session by six time World Champion Steve Davis, a children’s rugby-session with England rugby stars Kyran Bracken and Martin Bayfield and a live performance by the world famous Treorchy Male Choir.
In New York, BGC was supported by guests including New York Giants’ quarterback Eli Manning, Tony Sirico and Robert Funaro from The Sopranos’, Oscar winning film star Whoopi Goldberg and classic film star Eli Wallach, as well as former New York Yankees legends Yogi Berra and Bernie Williams, former Cincinnati Bengals’ quarterback Boomer Esiason, NY Mets legend Ed Kranepool and noted educator and commentator, Dr Ruth Westheimer.
Prior to the day, Lee Amaitis, Chairman and CEO of BGC Partners, pledged that 100% of revenues generated through trading on the day would be donated to a number of charities around the world including charities in the UK, America, Europe, Asia and Australia with a large emphasis on charities for children.
In the UK these included The Multiple Sclerosis Society, The Peter O’Sullevan Charitable Trust, The Bobby Moore Fund, Winston’s Wish, WellChild, Barnardo’s, DebRA, Sparks, UK Youth, Honey Pot, Chase, The Paul Hunter Foundation, Walk The Walk, Chance To Shine, Wooden Spoon, National Literacy Trust and The St Paul’s Foundation. In the US charities included The Cancer Research Institute, Books for Kids Project FIND, Wounded Warrior Project, Blythedale Children’s Hospital, NARSAD. Elsewhere around the world charities included The Shane Warne Foundation (Australia), National Breast Cancer Foundation (Australia), Children’s Cancer Foundation (Asia), La Licorne (Europe), and The Solidarity Fund (Europe).
Lee Amaitis said, “I thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for their hard work in making this special day possible. The support we have received from staff, customers and various selected charities has been out of this world. To have raised over $6 million for good causes is an outstanding achievement and one of which of we should all be proud.”
About BGC Partners
BGC is a leading inter-dealer brokerage firm that was separated out from Cantor Fitzgerald in 2004. Since BGC’s inception, the company has continued its long legacy of fundraising on behalf of a wide range of charitable causes and the three-year total for the global Charity Day now tops $15 million.
BGC provides brokerage services to wholesale fixed income, interest rate, foreign exchange and derivatives markets worldwide, including unparalleled pricing and execution, as well as access to electronic trading services and technology support from eSpeed, Inc. (NASDAQ: ESPD), a leading developer of electronic marketplaces and trading technology.
BGC has offices in London, New York, Copenhagen, Istanbul, Milan, Nyon, Paris, Beijing (representative office), Hong Kong, Seoul, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo Mexico City and Toronto.
For more information please visit www.bgcpartners.com.
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