Sunrise Brokers, the world’s largest exotic equity derivatives brokerage, has gone on a spending spree for staff and technology to challenge arch-rival Icap amid a boom in over-the-counter equity derivatives trading. In an exclusive interview with Financial News, Claude Amar, Sunrise’s chief executive, said the ramp-up in headcount and IT spending was the culmination of a long-term strategy.

Sunrise, a private London-based firm, has virtually doubled its global headcount in the past year, from around 80 to 150.