NEX

As a result of selling its hybrid voice broking and information business to Tullett Prebon, ICAP plc required a new brand name and corporate identity, as the ICAP brand would transfer with the sale. NEX is a global financial markets operator and provider of post trade risk mitigation and information services.

We were asked to interrogate the brand positioning of the new business and develop a brand name and an identity for the new, ‘fintech’ company. The brief was for a name that reflected a number of key attributes including the culture of the new company – fast, agile, innovative and the way it is organised – lean, efficient, growing.

The brand name needed to be short, memorable and if possible, on implementation, convey an idea. The success of the company will be based on its continued ability to anticipate change, and to develop infrastructure and services to help clients make the most of opportunities resulting from change. It also needed to be available as a web domain.

The brand naming that we proposed focused on the future and represented a major departure from previous branding. Many alternatives were developed and assessed. The NEX name contained a number of ideas that could, during implementation, be worked through into campaign themes and brand messaging – being ready for what’s next, operating as an exchange, extending reach globally, market connections etc.