Stars around the world raised charity cash yesterday, September 13, as part of the BGC Charity Day.
Celebrity brokers’ helped raise money by conducting real trades with BGC’s clients (the major banks and investment banks) over the phone from the trading floor (alongside a licensed broker). From these trades, worth millions of dollars in bonds, foreign exchange, derivatives and other products, BGC aimed to surpass last year’s total of $10 million globally, which brought the five-year total raised on BGC’s Charity Day to $33 million.
BGC Partners was created as Cantor Fitzgerald re-built following the World Trade Center attacks. Cantor was the worst hit company on 9/11, losing 658 of its employees – two thirds of its workforce at the time. To commemorate those who were lost on the day, every year on September 11, BGC’s revenues are distributed to dozens of charities around the world.
In New York, celebrity brokers included Gary Sinise, Nigel Barker, John McEnroe, Buzz Aldrin, Barbara Walters, Billy Crudup, Carol Alt, Carol Kane, Edie Falco, Marcia Gay Harden, Matthew Modine, Russell Simmons, Hilary Duff and many more.
London also had a massive turn-out of stars, including Jonathan Ross, Penny Lancaster, Ronnie Corbett, Girls Aloud's Nicola Roberts, Roger Daltrey, Lisa Snowden and David Coulthard.
“The buzz on the trading floor was amazing. I was honored to be involved in the BGC Charity Day to help raise money for my chosen charity, the Lowe Syndrome Trust,” said Penny Lancaster, wife of Rod Stewart. "I even got to close a deal of turnover £25 million, which was an incredibly exciting moment.
“It’s fantastic to think everyone at BGC Partners has given up their time for free and to be generous enough to give the day’s revenues to charity.”
A full list of the charities that benefited from the events can be found here.
