New WISF leads discuss future plans for Boston Chapter
The new Boston Chapter leads for Women in Securities Finance (WISF), Chelsea Grossman, head of US Asset Owner Client Management at State Street Corporation; Bridget McGill, head of Securities Lending Trading at Invesco; and Meredith Roderick, head of US Securities Lending Relationship Management at Brown Brothers Harriman tell their unique origin stories of how they found their way into securities finance, their current roles, and share their exciting plans for the Boston Chapter as they take on their new roles.
In a podcast, they joined former Chapter leads eSecLending’s Betsy Coyne, Goldman Sachs’ Christel Carroll, and Fidelity’s Marney McCabe.
BNY announces newest managing directors
BNY released its latest list for the newest class of managing directors (MDs), who will be officially promoted on January 1, 2025. MDs are senior leaders who help drive the company forward and execute BNY’s strategy.
For the first time, BNY will have MD leaders representing all six of the company’s strategic growth locations (Pittsburgh, Lake Mary, Manchester, Wroclaw, Pune and Chennai) as it continues to take an intentional and global approach to empowering leaders around the world, at all major sites. Currently, BNY has nearly 600 MDs in 62 cities around the world.
“Our new MD cohort went through a highly rigorous and competitive selection process,” said Shannon Hobbs, chief people officer at BNY, in a statement. “Members of this group stood out for their consistently high performance and strong BNY leadership while being more for our clients, running our company better and powering our culture.”
Those MDs are:
- Asset Servicing: Ranjani Iyer, Fiona McNally, Adam Watson
- BNY Wealth: Adam Innerst, Chad Johnsrud
- Chief Commercial Office: Paula Avraamides, Christian Lewis
- Clearance and Collateral Management: Parin Shah
- Credit Services: Shaf Hasan
- Engineering: Siva Hoskeri, Vikram Lalit, Christina Mackrell, Bhupendra Purohit
- Enterprise Transformation Office: Lauren Kozora
- Executive Office: Sarah Atkinson
- Finance: Sudipta Adhya, Jessica Casillo, Kimberly Perman, Jason Thomas
- Growth Ventures: David Moss
- Markets: Ted Leveroni, Jeff McCormick
- Operations: Nellie Ding, Gerard O’Keefe, Janet Menezes, Katherine Mruczek, Sean Turner
- Risk and Compliance: Nicholas Fuller, Ryan Leader
- Treasury Services: Jeffrey Sander
SIX appoints Bjørn Sibbern as new CEO
The Board of Directors of SIX has appointed Bjørn Sibbern as new CEO effective 1 January 2025. Bjørn Sibbern will succeed Jos Dijsselhof, who will step down to pursue a new professional opportunity in the Middle East after seven years with SIX. Jos Dijsselhof successfully developed SIX commercially and expanded it internationally.
Since the beginning of 2024, Sibbern has been leading the international exchange business of SIX as global head of Exchanges and a member of the Executive Board. He has more than two decades of experience in capital markets, including various international positions at Nasdaq, OMX Exchanges and as CEO of E*TRADE Bank Denmark.
Thomas Wellauer, chair of SIX, said in a statement: “Since joining SIX a year ago, we have experienced Bjørn as a strong, highly motivated and proactive leader. With his excellent track record, Bjørn has the necessary international expertise and leadership qualities to further pursue and accelerate the growth path of SIX.”
Since joining SIX as CEO in 2018, Jos Dijsselhof has played a pivotal role in developing the company commercially and expanding its international presence. He successfully implemented the strategic realignment of SIX with the sale of the card business to Worldline and further diversified the company’s business portfolio.
Under his leadership, SIX executed key acquisitions – most notably the purchase of the Spanish Stock Exchange BME – along with other international investments, particularly in the financial information sector, which have driven substantial and sustainable growth.
Deutsche Börse appoints new Executive Board members
The Supervisory Board of Deutsche Börse AG appointed Christian Kromann and Jens Schulte as new Executive Board members.
From 1 January 2025, Kromann will become Executive Board member for Investment Management Solutions. The division comprises the software solutions, ESG data and research and the index business of the Group with SimCorp and ISS STOXX. Stephan Leithner, who will become the sole CEO of Deutsche Börse AG at the beginning of next year, is currently responsible for this division.
Kromann will resign from his current position as CEO of the Deutsche Börse subsidiary, SimCorp, at the end of the year. He has worked for SimCorp since 2019 and brings extensive experience from his 30-year career in the financial sector, predominantly in the software and data space.
Jens Schulte will succeed Gregor Pottmeyer as chief financial officer (CFO) of Deutsche Börse. He is currently CFO of thyssenkrupp AG and prior to that was CFO at Schott AG. Gregor Pottmeyer, whose mandate expires end of September 2025 has held this position at Deutsche Börse since October 2009.
Martin Jetter, chair of the Supervisory Board, said in a statement: “The Supervisory Board has made forward-looking decisions for Deutsche Börse AG. Christian Kromann is an international leader that’s been pivotal in the growth of SimCorp as software-as-a-service champion. Jens Schulte is a proven financial and capital markets expert with extensive experience as CFO of leading international companies.”
Stephan Leithner, co-CEO of Deutsche Börse, said in a statement that Kromann Schulte “will be excellent additions to the leadership team and as extremely experienced professionals they will take Deutsche Börse forward beyond their individual areas of responsibility. Together, driven by our innovative strength and our responsibility to markets and customers, we will continue to implement our Horizon 2026 strategy for sustainable growth.”
In addition, the Supervisory Board nominated its current member Clara-Christina Streit as the new chair to succeed Jetter.Streit has been a member of the Supervisory Board of Deutsche Börse AG since 2019. She is also chair of the Government Commission German Corporate Governance Code and chair of the Supervisory Board of Vonovia SE.
Jetter said in a statement: “Clara-Christina Streit is an expert in corporate governance, has international experience and has known Deutsche Börse for a long time. The company has developed excellently in recent years and is strategically well positioned to continue this path.”
Bloomberg: Quintenz in running for CFTC chair
Brian Quintenz has emerged as a top contender to lead the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on what could be a dramatic shift in crypto regulation under president-elect Donald Trump. Quintenz, a former Republican CFTC commissioner, has been interviewed for the position, according to people familiar with the matter speaking to Bloomberg.
He is also the head of Policy at a16z crypto, an Andreessen Horowitz venture capital fund that invests in crypto and web3 startups.
Paul Atkins nominated to lead SEC, Zhu to leave Trading and Markets, Crenshaw renomination stalled
US Republican president-elect Donald Trump said he would nominate Paul Atkins to run the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), putting a prominent and experienced conservative Washington insider atop Wall Street’s major regulator, according to Reuters.
The appointment of Atkins, a lawyer and former top SEC official who has advocated for de-regulation, spells relief for Wall Street and the crypto industry which have chafed under President Joe Biden’s hard-charging SEC Chair Gary Gensler.
CEO of the Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA) Jack Inglis said in a statement that the organization has known Atkins “for many years and his proven experience and expertise serve him well to lead the agency after a tumultuous period that saw unprecedented rulemaking and aggressive enforcement.”
In addition, the SEC announced that Haoxiang Zhu, director of the Division of Trading and Markets, will depart the agency, with David Saltiel, a deputy director who also heads the Division’s Office of Analytics and Research, to serve as acting director.
“I want to thank Haoxiang for his leadership of the Division of Trading and Markets for the last several years,” said SEC chair Gary Gensler, in a statement. “In that time, we’ve worked to bring central clearing to the Treasury market, comprehensively update the national market system rules for the first time in nearly two decades, and shorten the settlement cycle. Investors and issuers will benefit because of these reforms achieved during Haoxiang’s time of service.”
During Zhu’s tenure, the SEC undertook a number of initiatives to modernize the regulation of US securities markets. The SEC expanded central clearing for Treasury repurchase and cash transactions, which will significantly strengthen the resiliency of the $28 trillion US Treasuries market.
The SEC also successfully shortened the settlement cycle to one day, which reduces risk and enhances efficiency in US equities, corporate bonds, municipal bonds, and other markets. Additionally, the SEC updated existing regulation for broker-dealers and adopted new rules that increase the transparency and integrity of markets for securities lending, short selling, and security-based swaps.
Besides rulemaking, Zhu also led the Division’s efforts in the day-to-day oversight of exchanges, alternative trading systems, broker-dealers, FINRA, clearing agencies, and other market participants.
Zhu said in a statement: “I encourage everyone to consider public service at some point in their professional career — if you haven’t done it already. The sense of purpose and pride and the knowledge that you’ve done your best for the American public are the ultimate rewards.”
He joined the SEC in December of 2021. He will return to the MIT Sloan School of Management as the Gordon Y. Billard Professor of Management and Finance and Associate Professor of Finance, a position he held before joining the SEC. Zhu also previously served as an academic expert for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Bank for International Settlements, a member of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago’s Working Group on Financial Markets, and a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research.
Saltiel has served as a deputy director in the Division of Trading and Markets since November 2021 and as associate director of the Division’s Office of Analytics and Research since 2016. He previously served as the Division’s acting director for several months in 2021.
Meanwhile, Democrat Caroline Crenshaw’s nomination to serve another term as a commissioner at the SEC just hit more obstacles after a planned committee vote was postponed, reports Bloomberg. “With few days remaining on the congressional calendar this year to reschedule, the move heightens the possibility of a three-person, all Republican SEC in the early months of the next Trump administration. Crenshaw’s renomination has been in limbo since her term at the agency officially ended in June.”
ESMA appoints Comporti to Management Board and reappoints Standing Committee chairs
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has appointed Carlo Comporti, Commissione Nazionale per le Società e la Borsa (CONSOB), as a new member to its Management Board replacing outgoing member, Rodrigo Buenaventura, Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores (CNMV). Comporti will serve the remainder of the term until 31 March 2027.
The Management Board is responsible for ensuring that ESMA carries out its mission and performs the tasks assigned to it under its founding Regulation. ESMA chair, Verena Ross, is chairing the Management Board, which consists of the following members:
- Eduard Müller, Finanzmarktaufsicht (FMA), Austria
- Thorsten Pötzsch, Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BaFin), Germany
- Vasiliki Lazarakou, Hellenic Capital Markets Commission (HCMC), Greece
- Carlo Comporti, Commissione Nazionale per le Società e la Borsa (CONSOB), Italy
- Jos Heuvelman, Autoriteit Financiële Markten (AFM), Netherlands
- Armi Taipale, Finanssivalvonta (FIN-FSA), Finland
- Natasha Cazenave, ESMA executive director (non-voting member)
- Vojtěch Belling, ESMA vice-chair (observer)
- European Commission representative (non-voting member)
In addition, current Standing Committee chairs were reappointed and will serve their new mandate from 1 January 2025 until 31 December 2026, with a new chair to be elected at the next Board of Supervisors meeting. The Standing Committees are expert groups drawn from ESMA staff and the National Competent Authorities (NCAs) for securities markets regulation in the Member States and are responsible for the development of policy in their respective areas.
Nordstrom becomes interim head for NY Fed’s Markets Group as Neal resigns
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York announced that Michelle Neal has stepped down from her role as head of the Markets Group and a member of the Bank’s Executive Committee. She will be leaving the New York Fed in March 2025 to work as a senior executive in the private sector, and in the interim, she has moved to an advisor role to help facilitate a smooth transition.
Anna Nordstrom, head of the Domestic and International Markets Function in the Markets Group, will serve as interim head of the Markets Group until a successor is named. The New York Fed will launch a search for a new head of the Markets Group in the coming weeks.
“Michelle has been a visionary and inspiring leader who drove change and accelerated progress during her tenure at the Bank,” said John Williams, president and CEO of the New York Fed, in a statement. “She has overseen significant initiatives—including the major technological investment in the Federal Reserve’s open market operations—to transform and innovate the critical work that we do. Michelle has been a key member of our Executive Committee, and I wish her well on the next chapter of her career.”
Neal said in a statement: “Serving alongside the dedicated team of individuals who comprise the Markets Group and the New York Fed more broadly has been a highlight of my career. I’m proud of the work we’ve done together and, in particular, I look forward to seeing FedTrade Plus become a reality in the coming year.”
DTCC hires BlackRock’s Winnike and Cantor’s Angrisani
The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) announced the appointment of Michael Winnike as managing director for Clearing & Securities Services (CSS), Strategy and Market Solutions. He reports to Brian Steele, managing director and president in the CSS division.
In this newly created role, Winnike will oversee strategic planning for CSS and partner with senior leaders and others to develop a holistic strategy that connects and aligns asset classes and market segments, define strategic objectives and lead key enterprise-wide initiatives. In addition, Winnike will help identify new market opportunities and support the development of innovative solutions to meet the evolving needs of our clients. He will also represent DTCC externally across multiple stakeholder groups.
Winnike has nearly 20 years of industry experience, including, most recently, serving as director for Market Structure at BlackRock. In this role, Winnike led the firm’s Treasury Clearing program and helped define BlackRock’s market structure strategy, assessed the impact of new financial market regulations on BlackRock’s trading platform, clients, and markets as well as managed trading venue relationships. In addition, he led development of BlackRock’s clearing strategy, which included evaluating new clearing models and solutions.
Steele said in a statement that “Michael’s extensive knowledge and market expertise on Treasury clearing will be invaluable as we continue taking steps to support the industry through the transition. We look forward to Michael using his experience to identify opportunities to create innovative, new solutions that mitigate risk, enhance efficiencies and address the top challenges impacting firms.”
“I am honored to join DTCC and eager to contribute to its mission of delivering innovative solutions that enhance the efficiency and resilience of capital markets,” said Winnike in a statement. “I look forward to collaborating with DTCC’s talented team and the industry during this time of regulatory and technological change to deliver exceptional solutions to our clients.”
In addition, DTCC announced the appointment of Jason Angrisani as managing director and chief marketing officer (CMO). He reports to Sharon Biran, managing director and chief client officer. Angrisani will oversee the firm’s Marketing & Communications organization and will play a key role in strengthening brand equity and engaging audiences across channels.
He most recently served as global chief marketing and communications officer and for Cantor Fitzgerald and previously, Angrisani spent 13 years at Bloomberg, where he held successive senior-level roles, including global CMO.
Biran said in a statement: “As our industry continues to undergo dynamic transformation, we look forward to Jason bringing his unique combination of experience and skills to deliver innovative marketing and communications initiatives that support growth and strengthen perceptions of DTCC as a market leader and the industry’s strategic partner.”
BNP Paribas appoints Geggus for Triparty Collateral Services
BNP Paribas announced the appointment of Andrew Geggus as global head of Triparty Collateral Services in addition to his current role as global head of Agency Lending.
In his expanded role, Andrew will leverage his in-depth industry expertise to further combine the bank’s Securities Lending and Triparty Collateral Management offerings, generating new efficiencies and value for clients.
Frederic Pascal, head of Market & Financing Services at BNP Paribas Securities Services, said in a statement on Linked In: “Andrew’s vast industry knowledge and strategic thinking make him the perfect fit to lead the growth of our Securities Lending and Triparty Collateral services. We look forward to seeing the success he will bring and the value he will add for our clients.”
Northern Trust makes new hire in Banking & Markets
Northern Trust Asset Servicing announced a new hire for its Banking & Markets division. Lance Vegna joins in the role of head of Portfolio Solutions for North America. He will report to Craig Blackbourn, global head of Portfolio Solutions, in Banking & Markets.
Vegna comes to Northern Trust with three decades of experience in global capital markets, including 20+ years working with U.S. asset owners in the transition management segment.
Blackbourn said in a statement that Vegna’s role “leverages the full range of transition management and related capabilities offered by our team. With three decades of experience, Lance brings expertise that will be invaluable to our clients in North America and beyond.”
Absa Bank promotes Rajah to Global Markets
Merlin Rajah has been appointed to Principal – head of Equities Electronic Product for Global Markets at Absa Group based in Johannesburg.
His experience at Absa includes spearheading electronic sales and trading for equities, equity derivatives, and commodities and supporting international quantitative trading firms, hedge funds, and global banks execute into various exchanges globally.
Rajah has been with Absa since 2020 and he has previously worked at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. He currently serves as a Committee member of the FIX organization’s Next Generation of Leaders for EMEA and FIX Africa, providing a comprehensive international outlook.
“I’m happy to share that I’ve been promoted to Principal – Head: Equities Electronic Product, Global Markets at Absa Group!” Rajah posted on Linked In.
Clarke moves into corporate strategy role at Broadridge
Broadridge Financial Solutions announced the appointment of Stephanie Clarke as head of International Strategy and Corporate Development, based in London. Previously, she served as senior vice president of Data and Analytics at the fintech.
Mike Sleightholme, president of Broadridge International, said in a statement: “Stephanie’s contributions across our Data and Analytics business have been integral to our organizational growth. In her new role, she will work to advance Broadridge’s global strategy by further enhancing our geographic profile and client reach.”
Clarke will spearhead the execution of the company’s strategic initiatives while collaborating with the Mergers and Acquisitions team to enhance the international corporate development pipeline through mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and partnerships. She will also establish an International Market Advocacy Platform to further strengthen the Broadridge brand and foster industry growth.
Clarke said in a statement: “Amidst the rapid and ever-evolving demands of regulation, market change, digitization and resilience, Broadridge is exceptionally well-positioned to partner with clients to navigate these challenges.”
She joined Broadridge in 2016 from BlackRock, where she was the global head of Market Intelligence. In her eight years at Broadridge, she has played a pivotal role in enhancing market and brand awareness and has contributed significantly to the company’s growth through client development, new product initiatives, and strategic acquisitions. Clarke will continue to co-chair the company’s Women’s Leadership Forum and advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion across the organization.
Chris Walsh to join Bochi Advisors after Acadia retirement
CEO of Acadia Chris Walsh announced his retirement from Acadia after 12 years at the software firm. In 2023, Acadia joined LSEG’s Post Trade business, enhancing its network, fueling its growth, and securing its place as a cornerstone of the market’s infrastructure.
He added that he will remain engaged in capital markets development with Bochi Advisors, exploring “new ideas and offering guidance to help innovators and investors successfully navigate the market”.
Economou retires from eSecLending
eSecLending announced that Peter Economou will retire at the end of this year.
Economou began his career in financial services in 1985 and started in securities lending in 1994. Before starting his career with us in 2012, he was a senior leader at State Street Bank and was an important contributor in the growth of the securities financing industry.
“We are incredibly thankful to Peter for seeing us through a tremendous period of growth and expansion over the last 12 years. His leadership over this time was crucial to the support of our clients and the continued success of building our business as an independent securities financing agent. With this new chapter for both Peter and our team at eSecLending, we are excited for what is to come,” eSecLending wrote on Linked In.
Finteum hires Anup Shah in sales
Finteum announced that Anup Shah has been appointed as sales director. He will be working with many of the fintech’s prospective bank clients to help them to benefit from intraday funding markets. Finteum’s platform facilitates intraday FX swap trading and lending across financial markets, and is live with several banks.
Shah joins Finteum from Metaco, where he was in a similar role since early 2023, and he previously worked with Xceptor and FIS.
“My passion for intraday liquidity management goes back to my time at SunGard – now part of FIS Capital Markets, working closely with clients on optimizing their cash & liquidity. Finteum brings a major new piece to the intraday liquidity optimization puzzle,” Shah wrote on Linked In. “Our DLT-based trading platform and solutions are transforming the way financial institutions handle liquidity.”
SFT: Paul Lynch resigns from EquiLend
EquiLend confirmed that Paul Lynch has left his position as global head of products at EquiLend, reported Securities Finance Times. He joined the global fintech company in August 2018 as a strategic adviser, responsible for enhancing EquiLend’s client engagement model.
Lynch has decades of experience in the financial services industry, with a primary focus on securities finance. He held previous roles at eSecLending and State Street, where he was a senior managing director in its securities lending business and he has worked with numerous authorities on regulatory issues, reporting and product development.
Frontclear’s Hagen to take on director role at TCX
Frontclear announced that Ingrid Hagen, currently senior vice president for Strategic Projects at Frontclear will continue her career within the Cardano Development Group as director of the CEO Office at the Currency Exchange Fund (TCX).
As director of the CEO Office, she will be responsible for managing and developing the team, investor relations, capital raising and structuring, communications, impact management as well as developing the fund’s TA activities.
TCX is a global development finance initiative supported by a shareholder base that includes KfW, FMO, IFC, EBRD, EIB as well as several European governments and the European Commission.
Hagen said on Linked In: “After nearly 10 wonderful years working with Frontclear colleagues to build a dynamic development finance organization dedicated to money and interbank market development, I’ll be moving over to TCX in January 2025 as director CEO Office…a word of thanks to so many of you for the inspiring, complex and impactful years.”
FINBOURNE appoints Edwards to lead Asia sales
FINBOURNE Technology announced the appointment of Peter Edwards as head of Sales for Asia as part of ongoing expansion efforts. Following its Series B funding round of £55 million ($70.1mn), FINBOURNE’s secondary funding now amounts to £100 million, which will fund the next phase in its commercial development, expanding its sales and marketing capabilities in the UK, Ireland, Singapore and Australia.
Based in Singapore, Edwards will be instrumental in supporting this stage of the company’s growth and be responsible for accelerating client acquisitions in Asia across the entire product spectrum and segments.
He brings extensive fintech experience including leading sales initiatives across the APAC region at BNY Mellon Eagle.
Thomas McHugh, CEO and co-founder of FINBOURNE Technology, said in a statement: “Peter’s experience makes him a perfect fit for our company at this pivotal juncture. His role will be integral in reinforcing FINBOURNE’s position in this dynamic region.”
Edwards said in a statement: “I’m excited to be able to contribute to FINBOURNE Technology’s growth and expansion with a shared mission of transforming the financial services industry through long-term value creation, better data insights, and continuous innovation. I look forward to the journey ahead and growing FINBOURNE’s footprint across the APAC region.”
R.J. O’Brien appoints Robbins to new global compliance role
Chicago-based R.J. O’Brien & Associates (RJO) announced the appointment of John Robbins, CFA, a 25-year financial services compliance veteran, to the new role of global chief compliance officer (CCO). The move comes amid continued international growth across regions, products, asset classes and regulatory jurisdictions.
Based in New York, Robbins reports to Melissa Zierk, RJO managing director and general counsel. Those reporting to Robbins include Christopher Bove, CCO of RJO, the US futures commission merchant; Tracy Hetherington, CCO, EMEA; and Aaron Nessel, CCO for the firm’s broker-dealer affiliate.
Zierk said in a statement: “We’ve had considerable global expansion in recent years with a very mature compliance program in the US and separate regional efforts in key markets internationally. It’s now time to harmonize our global compliance program. John is ideally suited to this role, with deep global compliance experience and a proven track record in coordinating disparate regulatory products and geographic activities into cohesive compliance programs at some of the largest, most diverse organizations in the industry.”
Robbins said: “It’s a great opportunity where I can leverage the regulatory knowledge, compliance technology and process optimization tools developed over my career to help build a proactive, operationally resilient compliance program supporting the firm’s dynamic growth.”
Robbins’ experience includes CCO and leadership compliance roles with Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), Babson Capital (Barings), AIG, Apex, Deutsch Bank and GE across a range of businesses, including registered investment advisers, broker-dealers, global asset managers and clearing firms. Most recently, he served as CCO for Apex Fintech Solutions and Apex Clearing, managing the compliance program covering the firm’s trading, clearing and custody activities. Prior to his role with Apex, he was senior director and CCO at ICE Data Services, integrating advanced surveillance and monitoring solutions with enterprise compliance to support scalable and diverse global product offerings.
28Stone hires former MarketAxess platform developer Wilson
28Stone hired industry veteran Christopher Wilson as global head of Experience Modernization. In his new position, Wilson will couple his robust engineering expertise with customer-facing design innovation to deliver complete, cutting-edge solutions that advance the experience of users across the capital markets workflow.
He will oversee 28Stone’s design front-end development and product management groups cutting across all client segments, including the buy-side, sell-side and marketplaces, to strengthen 28Stone’s core offerings in experience modernization and ultimately help clients achieve their business objectives.
Wilson’s track record counts numerous successful solutions supporting the digital transformation and innovation for firms such as global banks, utilities and regulators. He got his start in the financial services industry developing trading platform software at RandomWalk Computing and MarketAxess, and also held executive roles as director of Mobile, chief product officer and COO at Mint Digital, a London-based innovation studio and corporate venture builder.
He most recently served as partner in Innovation & Design Practice at Ness Digital Engineering, where he established and led the Experience Design practice bringing design thinking to the firm’s engineering capabilities. Wilson joined Ness in 2021 upon its acquisition of Risk Focus, where he was the Director of UI/UX Strategy, charged with bringing startup culture product development and design thinking to financial industry clients.
“Christopher will add to the domain expertise across the 28Stone team with an emphasis on engineering-driven design to strengthen our core offerings and the experience we deliver to our clients,” said Frank Erickson, co-founder and co-president of 28Stone, in a statement.
Wilson said in a statement: “Our service is centered on close collaboration with the clients to identify, understand, and execute digital opportunities that lead to positive business outcomes. We focus on turning obsolescence programs into modernization initiatives.”
Santander’s payments businesses gets leadership shake-up
Banco Santander announced that it’s hired Nitin Prabhu as global head of Digital Consumer Bank (DCB). He will be based in Madrid and responsible for the auto and consumer business globally as well as Openbank. Prabhu joins from PayPal, where over the past 12 years he has played a pivotal role in the growth of the business, holding several senior roles, including most recently head of Product for Small and Medium size businesses (SMBs) and Financial Services.
Prabhu will report to Ana Botin, Santander’s executive chair. Botin said in a statement: “DCB is at the forefront of innovation in consumer finance, backed by the strength of Santander’s global network. Nitin brings a strong customer focus and understanding of how to build digital products that meet client needs, and I am confident he will help the business continue to generate profitable growth.”
In addition, Juan Franco will become Getnet’s new global CEO based in Madrid. Franco joins from Canadian fintech company Nuvei, where he has been senior vice president for Asia-Pacific for the last two years. Previously, he was CEO and cofounder of Paymentez, a leading online payment platform in Latin America, for 11 years before the company was acquired by Nuvei. Prior to that, he also worked for American companies in different senior roles in Latin America, including VMWare and Salesforce.
After two and a half years as CEO of Getnet, Kush Saxena has decided to resign from the position for personal reasons and will transition into an advisory role to the board of Getnet and continue as chair of Getnet’s Mexican tech partner MIT. In his new role, he will focus on overseeing and advising on future projects and initiatives for the business globally.
“The payments business is a growing segment, and we expect PagoNxt, our broader payments business that includes Getnet, to continue expanding and delivering double-digit revenue growth. We continue to leverage our network and technology to drive new innovations for customers, including for example the recently launched multi-market e-commerce payment solution in Brazil, Argentina, Mexico and Chile, which is unique in the region. I am grateful to Kush for the important contribution he has made to the success of the business and look forward to continuing to work together,” Botin said in a statement.
Britannia Global Markets hires TP ICAP’s Ryan
Britannia announced that Martin Ryan has joined the firm as chief operating officer (COO) and Jodie Kelsall has been appointed chief of staff.
Ryan said in a statement: “I am delighted to be appointed chief operating officer at Britannia Global Markets as the company looks to capitalize on its recent growth. I am looking forward to working with a talented team on a range of initiatives to better position it for the future.”
He joins Britannia with thirty years of experience in financial services and a strong background in trading technology and operations, having recently been the COO for TP ICAP. Prior to this, Ryan was CEO of London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) Business Services and CIO and board member of its subsidiary, LCH Clearnet. He has also held roles at Morgan Stanley and J.P. Morgan, where he began his career in its markets sales & trading business.
Jodie Kelsall’s new appointment will allow her to bridge the front and back offices with the implementation of Britannia’s business strategy, focusing on key projects and transparency both internally and externally.
Steve Pettitt, CEO at Britannia, said in a statement: “We are pleased to have Martin Ryan join us at an exciting time for the business. His extensive experience in technology and operations within financial services will add further depth to the management team and I look forward to working with him. Jodie’s progression to the newly created role of chief of staff will allow her to use her talents in delivering new strategic initiatives for Britannia Global Markets.”
Brittania is an FCA regulated financial services firm specializing in derivatives broking including foreign exchange, energy, agriculture, base metals and financial products.