15:00 – 15:05 Opening & Welcome

A brief welcome and introduction to the day’s themes and speakers.

• Moderator: Will Mitting, Founder and Managing Director, Acuiti

15:05 – 15:40 Panel Discussion: Structural Shifts in Equity Vol: What It Means for Both Sides of the Street

European equity volatility is undergoing a structural shift. Rising index concentration — amplified by AI-driven mega-cap moves and geopolitical disruptions — is reshaping the correlation landscape and challenging traditional hedging assumptions. The discussion will also explore how far short selling can go and the impact of passive/ ETFs flow. A strategic, big-picture discussion bridging the sell-side and buy-side perspectives on what this new regime means for positioning and risk management.

• Moderator: Will Mitting, Founder and Managing Director, Acuiti

• Sophie Granchi, Sales EMEA, Eurex

• Thomas Shuttlewood, Head of Strategy and Digital Asset Indices, Product Development, STOXX

• Davide Silvestrini, Managing Director, Head of EMEA Equity Derivatives Strategy, J.P. Morgan

15:40 – 16:00 Panel Discussion: Regional view (US vs. EU)

This panel provides a transatlantic view on volatility markets, featuring insights into trading behavior, product preferences, and regulatory considerations from a US-based perspective. Topics include volatility around political regime changes, the impact of US midterm and European elections, and the implications of increasing geopolitical fragmentation for global volatility markets and investment strategies.

• Moderator: Will Mitting, Founder and Managing Director, Acuiti

• Matt Koren, Sales Americas, Eurex

• Sergio Tam Suarez, European Market Structure, IMC

• Johnny Gillespie, Head of Technology Europe, SpiderRock

16:00 – 16:20 Panel Discussion: Institutional Volatility Strategies: How End Clients Utilize European Equity Derivatives

Institutional investors are increasingly using European equity derivatives to implement a broad range of volatility, hedging and yield-enhancement strategies. This panel explores how banks and market makers support end-client activity across institutional use cases including dispersion, quantitative investment strategies (QIS), exotics, and structured products. The discussion will cover evolving client demand, liquidity provision and market structure developments enabling broader institutional participation.

• Moderator: Will Mitting, Founder and Managing Director, Acuiti

• Taras Markiv, Global Product Lead - Equity, Commodity & Crypto, Eurex

16:20 – 16:40 Panel Discussion: Improving Liquidity in the EURO STOXX Options Ecosystem

This session explores recent improvements in liquidity in EURO STOXX Options (OESX and OEXP), supported by data insights and market observations. The discussion will cover developments across the EURO STOXX Options ecosystem, including OESX, OEXP and box strategies, and provide a data-driven update on liquidity trends, market quality enhancements, and recent developments. The panel will also address the increasing importance of Daily Options and shorter-dated maturities, particularly in light of the strong growth observed in the U.S. options market.

• Moderator: Will Mitting, Founder and Managing Director, Acuiti

• Strahinja Trenkic, Market & Liquidity Analytics, Eurex

16:40 – 16:55 Fireside Chat: Driving Growth in MSCI Options

As market participants seek more flexible tools for managing volatility and accessing targeted exposures, the demand for innovative index derivatives continues to grow. This session examines the latest developments in MSCI Options, including the launch of Weekly Options and expanded Factor Futures.

• Moderator: Will Mitting, Founder and Managing Director, Acuiti

• Ralf Huesmann, Global Product Lead: MSCI Derivatives, Eurex

• Dinank Chitkara, MSCI

16:55 – 17:00 Closing Remarks

A short wrap-up summarizing the key takeaways from the day and offering a forward-looking perspective on volatility markets.

• Moderator: Will Mitting, Founder and Managing Director, Acuiti