BGC Partners Inc, a leading global brokerage company primarily servicing the wholesale financial markets, has announced that, together with Cantor Fitzgerald, it raised approximately $12 million globally at their Annual Charity Day on Monday, September 12, 2011.
Every year, BGC and Cantor Fitzgerald donate 100% of their global revenues on the day to more than 75 charities around the world by hosting charities and celebrity ambassadors at their offices in commemoration of the 658 employees we lost in the World Trade Center attacks. The guests joined licensed brokers to conduct transactions with BGC and Cantor Fitzgerald clients. Including today, Charity Day has raised approximately $77 million globally.
BGC Partners was honored to be joined by many distinguished guests including President George W. Bush and President Bill Clinton in New York and His Royal Highness Prince Harry in London. Prince Harry broke the world record set by his brother HRH Prince William for the largest foreign currency trade when he closed a foreign exchange deal worth euro 18 billion. Prince Harry, who attended on behalf of Sentebale, the charity he founded to support vulnerable children and orphans in Lesotho, completed the deal between Barclays London and a European counter-party based on projected currency values between the 13th and 14th September.
At BGC’s New York offices, other guests included: Former New York Governor David Paterson, actors Ben Stiller, Billy Crudup, Daniel Radcliffe and Jon Voight, supermodels Petra Nemcova, Carol Alt and Karolina Kurkova, and sports icons Carmelo Anthony, Henrik Lundqvist, Ike Davis, John McEnroe, Eli Manning, Mark Sanchez and Rex Ryan.
In London, celebrity guests at BGC’s offices included: The Mayor of London Boris Johnson, TV and radio personality Sir Terry Wogan, model Eva Herzigova as well as renown chef Marcus Wareing and the legendary Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood. Other singing sensations included Duffy, Peter André, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and One Direction. Sports icons included Jamie and Harry Redknapp, Damon Hill, A.P. McCoy and Lawrence Dallaglio.
“Charity Day is always a moving experience, and this year’s has been especially poignant as we have reached the ten year anniversary of 9/11,” said Howard W. Lutnick, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of BGC Partners. “We are proud to honor our cherished friends and colleagues through aid and support to great causes. It is through generosity and philanthropy that we turn this tragic day into one that is positive and uplifting. I’d like to thank our clients, employees and everyone who joined us in honoring our 658 employees who perished on 9/11 by helping charities around the world.”
BGC President, Shaun Lynn, said: “Every year we are fortunate to be joined by celebrity guests, clients, staff and volunteers who together raise as much as they can, in memory of the staff we lost. This year, more than ever, we have done our utmost to do them proud. Most importantly, Howard and I would particularly like to thank our global clients for supporting us so well over the last ten years. Without their support, we would not be where we are today.”
“This year marks the 10th Anniversary of 9/11 and we continue to commemorate the tragic loss of our loved ones by donating our revenues from the day to various causes both at a local and national level,” said Shawn P. Matthews, Chief Executive Officer of Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. “Our firm rebuilt itself in the days after 9/11 and we will continue to memorialize and pay our respects to those we lost through this day of philanthropy. We also want to express our deepest gratitude to all the charities around the world who participated and made today a wonderful success.”
Participating charities from BGC Partners in New York include: Alliance for Lupus Research, AmeriCares, Boomer Esiason Foundation, Building Homes for Heroes, Felix Organization, FDNY Fire Family Transport Foundations, Garden of Dreams, Happy Hearts, Harlem RBI, Intrepid Sea, Air and Space, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Services for the Underserved, Solving Kids Cancer, St. Christopher’s, Tony Alt Foundation, USTA Serves, Wheelchair Sports Federation, Worldwide Orphans Foundation, Wounded Warrior Project, Youth Consultation Services and more.
Participating charities from BGC in London include: Ana Araujo Foundation, Barnardo's, BBC Children In Need, Breast Cancer Campaign, Capital FM’s Help a London Child, Children in Crisis, Demelza, Dispossessed Fund, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Halow, Haven House, Headcase, Hope and Homes for Children, Hop Skip and Jump, Kids Aid, Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research, Lowe Syndrome Trust, Mayor’s Fund for London, Missing People, Multiple Sclerosis, MTV Staying Alive Foundation, Scope, Sentebale, Sparks, Tommy’s, Variety Club and War Child.
Cantor Fitzgerald was honored to be joined by many distinguished guests including former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, actors Mickey Rourke and Michael J. Fox, TV personality Kim Kardashian, supermodel Kate Upton, and sports personality Chris Bosh.
For more information, click here.
