Robert D'Arco

Rob is CEO of Rival Systems, a derivatives execution and risk management software firm he launched in 2015 and is responsible for overseeing all operations and technology for the firm. A true industry expert, Rob has been able to leverage his technology and finance backgrounds to build advanced trading systems for over 15 years. Prior to launching Rival, Rob was the director of technology for Ronin Capital LLC, a proprietary trading firm in Chicago, from 2003-2015. At Ronin, Rob oversaw the development of the firm’s options trading and risk management platforms and worked with traders to build automated trading strategies across all asset classes. Prior to working in the trading industry, Rob was a project manager at Sapient Corporation for three years, overseeing global software development projects. His career in technology consulting started at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, where he designed, developed and implemented IT systems for a variety of Fortune 500 clients.Rob’s professional career has been complemented by his education – he holds a bachelor's degree in finance from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and, in 2011, he received his MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He is also passionate about his community and currently serves on the Finance Commission for the Village of Hinsdale. A little-known fact is that Rob is a former restaurateur. In 2002, he partnered with a childhood friend to open the now closed Moto Restaurant in Chicago, a high-end, eclectic eatery that served adventurous and modern “cuisine-as-art”. Rob worked with the One11ven Hospitality Group from 2012 to 2014 to help open and manage the finances for Jellyfish Restaurant in Chicago, a sleek restaurant in the heart of Chicago's Gold Coast which serves late-night Pan-Asian small plates.