Australian exchange operator ASX CEO Helen Lofthouse to step down in May

Published Tue, Feb 10, 2026 · 04:42 PM

[SYDNEY] ASX said on Tuesday (Feb 10) that managing director and chief executive Helen Lofthouse would step down in May, marking the end of an 11-year career at the Australian exchange operator.

Appointed as CEO in 2022, Lofthouse will depart at a time when ASX is preparing to deliver the first phase of its long-delayed CHESS project, which is targeting to go live in April.

ASX uses the Clearing House Electronic Subregister System (CHESS) to clear, settle, and record ownership of shares.

The project is a long-running, repeatedly delayed initiative to replace the exchange’s core post-trade infrastructure. First designed as a blockchain-based overhaul, it was abandoned in 2022 after years of delays and cost overruns. ASX has since reset it and is rolling it out in phases.

Chair David Clarke said Lofthouse took the charge of ASX at a challenging time, halted the previous iteration of the CHESS project and oversaw increased investment in technology, delivery and risk management.

ASX has faced regulatory scrutiny in recent years following a series of operational issues, including a company name mix-up in August 2025 and an outage of its announcements platform in early December.

ASX, which was also hit with a A$150 million (S$134.3 million) capital charge by the market regulator in December, said it had started a process to identify its next CEO.

In late January, the exchange operator flagged a sharp increase in annual costs as it stepped up spending on technology and risk controls after a regulatory inquiry.

Shares of ASX ended 0.5 per cent higher, while the broader benchmark index closed almost flat. The exchange operator announced Lofthouse’s departure after market hours. REUTERS