NYSE Group Inc. yesterday announced a shuffle in the executive suite, with the appointment of Duncan Niederauer to the position of president and co-chief operating officer, effective April 9.

Niederauer, currently managing director of Goldman Sachs Group Inc., will be responsible for U.S. cash equities operations, including institutional and member firm client group sales and client services for both the New York Stock Exchange and NYSE Arca, and will serve on the NYSE Group Management Committee. Following the completion of the business combination of NYSE Group and Euronext NV and subject to European regulatory approval, Niederauer will also serve on the NYSE Euronext Management Committee, on which parity will be maintained for U.S. and European representation.

Gerald Putnam, who currently serves as president and co-COO, will become vice chairman with responsibility for technology, product development and options. President and co-COO Catherine Kinney will be responsible for NYSE Group’s global listings business, which includes listings sales and client services, and NYSE Group’s market data business. Putnam and Kinney will also serve on the Management Committee of NYSE Euronext upon completion of the business combination between NYSE Group and Euronext.

Niederauer joins NYSE Group following a 22-year career at Goldman Sachs. Since 2005, he served as co-head of Goldman Sachs’ Equities Division execution services franchise. He joined the firm in 1985 and the equities division in 1987. In 2000, he relocated to the headquarters of Spear, Leeds & Kellogg. In this capacity, he managed the equities division’s global clearing and execution business. Previously, he ran the Equities E-Commerce effort, was the global head of portfolio trading, and spent three years in Tokyo in Derivatives and Japanese products. He became a managing director in 1997 and a partner of Goldman Sachs in 2000.

He has been a director of EzeCastle Software and serves on the Board of Trustees of Colgate University, where he earned a B.A. degree in 1981. Niederauer earned an MBA from Emory University in 1985.

“Duncan is an innovator and a highly experienced, skilled professional whose extensive knowledge of U.S. and international financial markets will greatly serve NYSE Group and our constituents,” said John Thain, chief executive officer of NYSE Group. “We welcome Duncan and the opportunity to further enhance the talent and depth of our leadership team as we continue to transform our business and build upon our global growth strategy.”

“As NYSE Group reshapes its business model, it reshapes global finance,” Niederauer said. “Being part of this historic transformation is a challenging and exciting opportunity, and I look forward to contributing to the organization’s leadership position and the ongoing success of the company, its customers and shareholders.”