Overview

Alice Corporation is an innovator in financial markets.

Our mission is to promote Alice Markets - an innovative form of derivatives market that:

• is driven by and operates in the interests of end-users,
• reduces risk by limiting extreme losses and fully collateralizing contracts, thereby contributing to lower systemic risk in financial markets, and
• allows a range of financial product types and asset classes to be created, administered and settled.

The Company has obtained patents on its innovations worldwide, including in the United States.

Company History

Alice Corporation Pty Ltd (Alice) was founded by privately-held Alice Ventures Pty Ltd (AV) in the early 1990s. National Australia Bank Limited (NAB) became a shareholder in 1995 and a 50% shareholder in 2000.

Initially focussed on developing a product utilising its Alice Market design, Alice spent many years with functional experts building several working prototypes of an Alice Market.

While central electronic markets have operated for standard futures and options products for many years, the largest segment of the global derivatives market has operated outside these markets. Global regulatory change is now requiring that the majority of global derivatives contracts be traded on central electronic markets and cleared through clearing houses. This new world presents opportunities for innovative electronic markets such as an Alice Market.

In 2000, Alice began offering its intellectual property for licensing. The Company approached CLS Bank International (CLS) in 2002, shortly after CLS began operations, to offer it a license. Discussions continued after this, but without resolution. In 2007, CLS filed a declaratory judgement against Alice in the United States.

From 2007 to the present time, Alice’s resources have primarily been diverted to the CLS litigation which has meant that the Company’s efforts to commercialize Alice have assumed a secondary role.

Company Founder

Ian Shepherd is the founder and Managing Director of Alice and Chairman of AV. Ian established Alice in the early 1990s.

Prior to establishing Alice, Ian was the Managing Partner of the Melbourne, Australia, office of McKinsey & Company, Inc. (McKinsey). In the latter period of his time with the firm, Ian led its strategic consulting work with NAB and was a member of the firm’s global banking practice leadership group.

Prior to joining McKinsey in 1978, Ian obtained a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Stanford University. Ian also holds a Bachelor of Economics (Hons) degree from the University of Sydney.