BGC Partners Appoints Shawn Mcloughlin As Director Of New Business Development, North America

NEW YORK, NY – (May 16, 2012) — BGC Partners, Inc. (NASDAQ:BGCP) (“BGC Partners” or “BGC”), a leading global brokerage company servicing the wholesale financial and property markets, today announced the appointment of Shawn McLoughlin as Director of New Business Development, North America. In this newly created role, Mr. McLoughlin will focus on building BGC’s North American Financial Services business as BGC expands into new product areas, hires new talent, and explores further opportunities for organic growth and acquisition.

Mr. McLoughlin joins BGC with more than 25 years’ experience in the financial services industry. He was previously CEO and co-founder of trading firm Ticonderoga Securities, and prior to that served as CEO, North America at Collins Stewart plc. He also held leading positions with Tullett Prebon plc, where he was responsible for building the firm’s equities business in New York, and Liberty Securities Corporation, where he was responsible for building the company’s intermediate treasury division. Based in New York, Mr. McLoughlin will report to Louis Scotto, Executive Managing Director and General Manager, North America.

Commenting on the appointment, Mr. Scotto said: “Shawn joins BGC as we seek to capitalize on growth opportunities in North America, hire talented individuals and expand our product range. His expansive industry knowledge coupled with his managerial experience makes him a natural choice. I am confident that he will be a great success in this new role and a strong asset for our Company.”

Mr. McLoughlin said: “I am thrilled to join BGC which has an outstanding reputation, strong track record and experienced management team. I look forward to playing a key role in exploring growth prospects and capitalizing on these opportunities alongside Lou and his team.”

About BGC Partners:
BGC Partners is a leading global brokerage company primarily servicing the wholesale financial markets. The Company specializes in the brokering of a broad range of products, including fixed income securities, interest rate swaps, foreign exchange, equities, equity derivatives, credit derivatives, commercial real estate, commodities, futures, and structured products. BGC also provides a full range of services, including trade execution, broker-dealer services, clearing, processing, information, and other back-office services to a broad range of financial and non-financial institutions. BGC’s integrated platform is designed to provide flexibility to customers with regard to price discovery, execution and processing of transactions, and enables them to use voice, hybrid, or in many markets, fully electronic brokerage services in connection with transactions executed either OTC or through an exchange.

Through its eSpeed, BGC Trader™, and BGC Market Data brands, BGC offers financial technology solutions, market data, and analytics related to select financial instruments and markets. Through its Newmark Grubb Knight Frank brand, the Company offers commercial real estate tenants, owners, investors and developers a wide range of services including leasing and corporate advisory, investment sales and financial services, consulting, project and development management, and property and facilities management. BGC’s customers include many of the world’s largest banks, broker-dealers, investment banks, trading firms, hedge funds, governments, corporations, property owners, real estate developers, and investment firms. Named after fixed income trading innovator B. Gerald Cantor, BGC has offices in dozens of major markets, including New York and London, as well as in Atlanta, Beijing, Boston, Chicago, Copenhagen, Dubai, Hong Kong, Houston, Istanbul, Johannesburg, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Miami, Moscow, Nyon, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Seoul, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto, Washington D.C. and Zurich. For more information, please visit www.bgcpartners.com.

Discussion of Forward-Looking Statements by BGC Partners
Statements in this press release regarding BGC Partners’ business that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of additional risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see BGC Partners’ Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings, including, but not limited to, the risk factors set forth in our public filings, including our most recent Form 10-K and any updates to such risk factors contained in subsequent Form 10-Q or Form 8-K filings.

Contacts
Media Hannah Sloane 212-294-7938 Sarah Laufer 212-915-1008
Investors Jason McGruder 212-829-4988 Ben Goldman 212-610-3680