Institutional Business Development - Manager/Director

Westren Capital; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 165,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Westren Capital, a London-based proprietary trading firm, seeks an experienced leader for institutional business development. You will manage key counterparty relationships, negotiate terms to improve execution and liquidity, and coordinate with trading, risk and operations to meet the firm’s needs.

Role emphasizes substance over networking, with responsibility from first contact to ongoing management and resilience during market stress.

Qualifications

• Proven institutional business development experience in trading, exchanges, or financial infrastructure.
• Track record closing commercial agreements delivering measurable value.
• Strong understanding of market structure and execution for a prop trading firm.

Responsibilities

• Identify, build and manage relationships with exchanges, brokers, custodians and other counterparties.
• Negotiate commercial terms, fees and access arrangements to improve execution and liquidity.
• Serve as primary contact for key institutional relationships, including during stress.
• Coordinate with trading, risk and ops to align counterparty needs with firm requirements.
• Monitor market developments and new venues relevant to the firm's strategy.

Skills

Business development

Relationship management

Negotiation

Communication

Job description

# Institutional Business Development - Manager/DirectorAnnual base salary: £165,000 – £190,000 GBP## Role overviewWestren Capital is a London-based proprietary trading firm specialising in digital asset markets. Our institutional business development function builds and manages relationships with exchanges, prime brokers, liquidity providers, and other institutional counterparties that the firm's trading activity depends on.This role is about substance over networking theatre. Relationships here exist to solve real problems - better execution terms, deeper liquidity access, faster onboarding, fewer operational headaches - not to fill a contacts list.## Responsibilities* —Identify, build, and manage relationships with exchanges, brokers, custodians, and other institutional counterparties relevant to the firm's trading activity* —Negotiate commercial terms, fee structures, and access arrangements that materially improve the firm's execution and infrastructure* —Act as the primary point of contact for key institutional relationships, including during periods of operational or market stress* —Work closely with trading, risk, and operations to understand what the firm actually needs from a counterparty relationship, not just what looks good on paper* —Track market developments, new venues, and emerging counterparties relevant to the firm's strategy* —Represent the firm externally the way we actually operate: direct, substantive, allergic to fluff## Requirements* —Demonstrated experience in institutional business development, relationship management, or a related commercial role within trading, exchanges, or financial infrastructure* —Strong understanding of market structure, execution, and the operational needs of a proprietary trading firm* —Track record of negotiating and closing commercial agreements that delivered measurable value, not just goodwill* —Excellent communication skills, both externally with counterparties and internally with trading and operations teams* —Prior exposure to digital asset markets, exchanges, or crypto infrastructure is a strong advantage* —Self-motivated, comfortable owning relationships end-to-end, from first contact to ongoing management