This week has been exciting for the forex executive moves, crypto industry leadership changes, and fintech sector appointments, highlighting a dynamic shift in the financial technology landscape.
Recent financial leadership appointments include Breon Corcoran as CEO of IG Group, John Austin as Chief Strategy Officer at Capital.com, Stelios Eleftheriou joining BVNK as Business Development Director, and Laura McCann becoming CFO at Options Technology. Jennifer LaClair will lead Global Business Solutions at Fiserv, and Roland Chai is appointed President of European Market Services at Nasdaq. Meanwhile, Sir Tom Scholar becomes Chairman of Europe at Nomura, James Colquhoun is named CFO at ITRS, and Trading Technologies welcomes new key leaders.
Indulge in these significant forex, crypto, and fintech executive moves in our detailed weekly roundup, highlighting the evolving landscape of financial technology leadership.
Executive Moves of the Week
Breaking: IG Group Names Breon Corcoran as CEO
IG Group (LON: IGG) has officially named Breon Corcoran as the new Chief Executive Officer. The brokerage, headquartered in London, had interim leadership by its CFO, Charlier Rose, due to the departure of June Felix earlier in the year. Corcoran's appointment, pending regulatory approval, is scheduled for January 29, 2024, when he will also join IG Group's Board.
Mike McTighe, Chair of IG Group, expressed confidence in Corcoran's leadership abilities, citing his track record of leading high-performing teams in multinational organizations. Corcoran, despite being an outsider to retail trading, brings three decades of financial services experience and a background in running online betting platforms. His most recent role was as CEO of WorldRemit, and he has previously held key positions at Paddy Power and Betfair.
Corcoran's appointment comes as IG Group focuses on cost-cutting measures, aiming to save £50 million, which includes a 10 percent reduction in its workforce. With Corcoran at the helm, the company looks to navigate these challenges and continue its growth trajectory.
Uncover more about IG Group's new CEO and the company's strategic direction under Breon Corcoran's leadership.
Exclusive: IG's South Africa CEO Leaves amid Global Workforce Reduction
IG Group (LON: IGG) has removed Robert van Eyden as its South Africa CEO as part of its global workforce reduction strategy, which aims to cut 10 percent of the workforce. Aphindile AB Bokleni, IG's South African Chief Operating Officer, takes over as CEO of IG Markets SA while retaining his COO responsibilities. This move aligns with IG's cost-cutting initiatives, aiming to save £50 million annually by reducing headcount by approximately 300 employees.
Robert van Eyden, who had over three decades of experience, joined IG in 2022 as CEO for South Africa. His successor, Aphindile Bokleni, has been with IG since 2015, holding various roles, including Client Operations Manager at IG India. IG Group continues to search for a permanent CEO after June Felix stepped down due to health issues in August, with Charlie Rozes temporarily assuming the role.
Discover more about IG Group's workforce reduction and leadership changes.
Capital.com Welcomes New Chief Strategy Officer
Capital.com has announced the appointment of John Austin as its new Chief Strategy Officer. With over two decades of experience in derivatives trading and brokerage, Austin is set to lead the company's strategic direction. He aims to drive innovation and growth from his base in London. Austin brings an impressive track record, having held senior roles at IG Group, contributed to strategic development at Nadex and Spectrum, and served as the Chief Strategy Officer at LMAX Group.
Furthermore, Austin's appointment comes at a significant time for Capital.com, as the platform experienced a notable increase in trading volume in November 2023. This move reflects the company's commitment to diversify its offerings, expand into new markets, and solidify its market-leading position. Austin's background and expertise are expected to play a pivotal role in driving Capital.com's continued growth and success.
Former NAGA Pay’s MD Stelios Eleftheriou Joins BVNK as Business Development Director
BVNK, a London-based crypto-to-fiat platform and global payments firm, has welcomed Stelios Eleftheriou as the Business Development Director for CFD & iGaming. With previous leadership roles at NAGA Pay, Parimatch, and BullBinary, Eleftheriou brings a wealth of experience to BVNK. He expressed his enthusiasm for the new position, emphasizing BVNK's role as a next-generation payments platform bridging traditional and digital finance for secure cross-border payments.
In addition to his impressive professional background, Eleftheriou holds a Master of Science in Management Information Systems (E-Commerce) and a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration (Management Information Systems) from California State University. BVNK's strategic expansion into the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region is also noteworthy. The company appointed Anthony Man as the Regional General Manager and established a founding team in Singapore to further its growth strategy.
BVNK's recent initiatives include obtaining a Major Payment Institution license and securing an Electronic Money Institution license in the UK. Their global capabilities, including blockchain technology for stablecoin payments, have positioned them as a significant player in the payments industry.
Learn more about BVNK's expansion into APAC and their innovative approach to global payments.
Options Technology Names Laura McCann CFO, Eyes Global Financial Expansion
Options Technology has announced the appointment of Laura McCann as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), succeeding Jon Lambert, who is transitioning to Senior Vice President of Corporate Development. McCann, previously the VP Corporate Controller, is set to lead the company's finance team in Belfast as part of its global expansion strategy. This move signifies Options Technology's commitment to building a robust financial infrastructure to support its worldwide operations.
Additionally, Options Technology recently introduced StrataNet, a high-speed global trading network, enhancing traders' access to market data and trading venues. The network's low-latency data transmission capabilities empower investors to make faster decisions, offering flexible hosting solutions and direct connectivity options.
Earlier this year, Options Technology partnered with Tools for Brokers to deliver real-time market data streaming services to retail brokers. Leveraging its global presence and hardware solutions, this collaboration enhances access to various financial instruments for retail brokers, further solidifying Options Technology's commitment to innovative trading solutions.
Find out more about Options Technology's financial expansion and global partnerships.
BidX Markets Sees Transition as James Roddy Concludes Role in Institutional Sales
James Roddy has wrapped up his tenure as the Head of Institutional Sales at BidX Markets. His departure was noted in a recent LinkedIn post. During his time at BidX, Roddy played a crucial role in expanding the company's multi-asset liquidity solutions. He reported directly to BidX's CEO, Simon Blackledge, based in London. Roddy's focus was on assisting clients with their trading needs, ensuring access to BidX's liquidity, and collaborating with the client service team.
BidX Markets is making strategic executive appointments, including the recruitment of Harry Fry as Head of Asia Pacific operations. Fry's role, based in Australia, involves expanding BidX's institutional client base across East Asia, South Asia, and Oceania. He will be responsible for building and strengthening relationships with institutional clients, implementing growth strategies, and ensuring regulatory compliance.
BidX, a company regulated by the FCA, publicly launched its liquidity services in November 2021 and secured investment from Solid, a leading ultra-low latency multi-bank ECN provider. These recent executive appointments reflect BidX's commitment to accommodating its expanding client base across various regions.
Identify more about BidX Markets' strategic executive appointments and expansion plans in the Asia Pacific region.
Nasdaq Appoints European Market Services President
Roland Chai has been appointed as the President of European Market Services at Nasdaq, effective 1 January 2024. In his new role, Chai will have oversight of multi-asset trading, clearing, listings, and market services across diverse European stock exchanges. This appointment highlights Nasdaq's dedication to fostering innovation, economic growth, and prosperity in the Nordic and Baltic regions through its European markets.
Nasdaq's European markets play a pivotal role in innovation, economic growth, and prosperity in the Nordic and Baltic regions. With a commitment to technology leadership and sustainability, Nasdaq is a key player in the development of efficient and transparent capital markets.
Nomura Appoints Tom Scholar
Nomura, a leading investment bank, has appointed Sir Tom Scholar, the former top civil servant of the UK Treasury, as its Chairman of Europe. This move follows Scholar's departure from the Treasury and is seen as a strategic step by Nomura to leverage Scholar's extensive experience and understanding of the financial sector.
Sir Tom Scholar's appointment signifies a significant transition from public service to a key role in the banking industry. This move underlines Nomura's commitment to integrating government expertise into its operations, potentially providing valuable insights for the bank's European endeavors.
ITRS Present New Chief Financial Officer
ITRS, a global leader in real-time estate monitoring and analytics software for financial institutions, has named James Colquhoun as its Chief Financial Officer. Colquhoun, with over 15 years of experience as a commercial CFO in high-growth international businesses, is expected to facilitate ITRS's growth and international expansion. Guy Warren, CEO at ITRS, praised Colquhoun, noting his expertise in the technology sector.
This appointment signifies ITRS's commitment to strengthening its financial leadership, which is crucial in the ever-evolving fintech landscape. James Colquhoun's extensive experience and knowledge are poised to drive financial excellence at ITRS.
Fiserv Unveils Key Leadership Changes: Jennifer LaClair to Lead Global Business Solutions
Fiserv, a global leader in payments and financial services technology, has announced significant leadership changes set to take effect in 2024. Jennifer LaClair, currently the Chief Revenue Officer, will assume leadership of Global Business Solutions from January 1, 2024, succeeding Suzan Kereere. LaClair's impressive financial background, gained at Ally Financial and PNC Financial Services, along with her consulting experience at McKinsey & Company, positions her well for this role.
Under the leadership of Chairman and CEO Frank Bisignano, Fiserv sees these changes as a strategic move to foster leadership development and ensure a seamless transition. The company's commitment to facilitating global money and information movement remains steadfast, with a wide range of financial technology solutions, including digital banking, payments, e-commerce, and a cloud-based point-of-sale platform. In the third quarter of 2023, Fiserv reported an impressive 8% YoY revenue growth to $4.87 billion, prompting a revision of its 2023 revenue outlook with an expected 11% increase.
Uncover more about Fiserv's growth and strategic changes in leadership.
Trading Technologies Bolsters Leadership with Trio of Industry Veterans
Trading Technologies International, Inc. (TT) has appointed three industry veterans to key leadership positions, effective January 1, 2024. Justin Llewellyn-Jones will become the Chief Operating Officer, Christopher Heffernan will assume the role of EVP Fixed Income, and Alun Green will become EVP Futures & Options. Llewellyn-Jones will lead the firm's market-facing business to drive multi-asset growth, Heffernan will expand TT's global fixed-income business, and Green will focus on the growth of the core futures and options franchise.
Llewellyn-Jones, with nearly three decades of fintech and financial services experience, comes from Broadridge, where he served as Chief Product Officer. He has a storied career, including roles at ION and Fidessa. Heffernan brings over two decades of fixed income expertise, with experience in sales and trading, business development, and leadership, including roles at Flow Traders and SumRidge Partners. Green, with 24 years in financial markets and technology, held leadership positions at Fidelity Information Services and SunGard.
TT's CEO, Keith Todd, expressed the importance of fortifying the leadership team with seasoned professionals to achieve ambitious goals.
Relate to more about Trading Technologies' strategic leadership appointments.
