A senior product management executive at exchange operator Nasdaq OMX has left the bourse in order to launch his own financial technology consultancy practice, Financial News has learned.

Chris Lees, a veteran of the European financial technology scene, left his role at Nasdaq's London office earlier this month, less than six months after joining the exchange for a second spell. Lees was head of product management within Nasdaq OMX's global technology products and services group. Nasdaq declined to comment on his departure, or whether a replacement had been appointed.