Paul Hilgers started his career in 1992 as a trader for Amsterdam Options Trader, a market maker in Germany on the German and Swiss derivative market.
Between 1997 and 2003 he was the Managing Director of Van der Moolen in Germany, responsible for the German and Swiss market. In 2003 Paul was transferred to Amsterdam to run the European trading desk at Van der Moolen.
Paul moved to Sydney in 2005, taking on the role of Commercial Director for Fortis Clearing Asia Pacific. In 2007 Paul joined Optiver as the Director of Market Structure, Asia Pacific and was promoted to CEO of Asia Pacific in January 2010. Subsequently he has also joined the Group Management Committee of Optiver.
Paul became Group CEO in January 2014 and was also interim local CEO of Optiver Europe until October 2015.
Outside Optiver Paul is non-executive director of BATS-Chi-X Europe and member of the supervisory board of The Order Machine (TOM).