ZURICH, May 24 (Reuters) - Swiss stock exchange operator SIX expects new listings in 2019 to rival those of last year when 12 companies began trading, Chief Executive Jos Dijsselhof told Finanz und Wirtschaft in a report published on Friday.
So far this year, there have been three listings -- Stadler Rail SRAIL.S, Medacta MOVE.S and Novartis spinoff Alcon ALCC.S -- but Dijsselhof suggested more deals are in the works.
"Lots of companies have been waiting and are now ready to go public," he told the newspaper. "We had three wonderful, big IPOs, and we are in talks with others. Our pipeline is well filled, we expect to be in similar territory compared to 2018."
As British politics are roiled by Prime Minister Theresa May's resignation, Dijsselhof also said Brexit uncertainty poses some risks to the Swiss market. Leading Brexit campaigner Boris Johnson said on Friday while in Switzerland that "of course" he will stand to be the next prime minister.
"It is not to be underestimated," Dijsselhof said. "If it really comes to an exit from Europe, we must make sure that Switzerland quickly concludes an equivalency agreement with Great Britain. Seventy percent of the EU trade volume on the Swiss Stock Exchange come from dealers in the United Kingdom."
(Reporting by John Miller; editing by Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi)
((J.Miller@thomsonreuters.com; +41 58 306 7734; Reuters Messaging: j.miller.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))
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