Next Assignment

Pages: 73-141
Due: Wednesday January 16th

Part I
pages 1 - 72
Characters (there are a ton of characters, I will break them out by apparent “Main” and “Secondary” roles)

MAIN

• Anthony Giovanni - Chairman, NYMEX. David Russo’s idol and eventual boss.
• David Russo - Protagonist, Harvard MBA, born / raised in Brooklyn, Italian-American
• Dominick “The Don” Gallo - Biggest trader on the floor, part of NYMEX since start, $300 million fortune
• Khaled Abdul - Nephew to Sheik Oman, part of royal UAE bloodline
• Nick Reston - President (youngest ever) of NYMEX. Mentor / guide to Russo
• Sheik Oman - Mideast oil baron, Khaled’s unkle

SECONDARY

• Alex Mendelson - NYMEX board member, former trader, 1969 Harvard grad
• Ali Aqha - Sheik Oman’s bodyguard, friend to Khaled Abdul
• Harriet Farelli - Giovanni’s secretary
• Jim Rosa - Trader
• Joey Bunetti - Trader
• Michael Vitzolli - 24 year old trader, $500K Profit in one morning
• Minister Hakim Al Wazali - Deputy finance minister (UAE)
• Serena - David Russo’s south American girlfriend
• Sheik Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum - Emir of Dubai

My initial thoughts are that Khaled and David are going to become friends and eventual business partners. I like the dynamic between the old stalwart power of The Don and the typical ‘let’s outsource/improve efficency/get greedier’ motivations of Nick and some of the up and comers. There are going to be fireworks between them I’d imagine.

Having worked many years for Merrill Lynch myself, I can say the description of the company’s set up (and NYC office environment specifically) is dead on. Having seen the NYSE floor when I worked for them, and the chaos present, it’s hard to imagine that vibe taken up to the next level of the NYMEX (fist fights?!).

Questions for discussion:

1. Nick Reston; eventual ally of David?
2. Is the eventual ‘revolution’ hinted at in the book’s synopsis going to be around oil money being used to build the Dubai financial / resort empire we’re currently seeing developed there?
3. Will the Don’s power remain intact?

Obviously, comment away with any thoughts of your own as well.