smartTrade Technologies, Bitcoin venture fund Axiom, and TMGM also announced significant executive moves.
This week in our executive move segment: ActivTrades appointed CEO for Mauritius; smartTrade Technologies promoted Laurent Danesi as Chief Innovation Officer; ACY Securities onboarded Phil Kim as Director of Institutional Sales for Asia; Former UK Minister joined Axiom's $75 Million Bitcoin Venture Fund.
Elsewhere, SIX promoted Exchange Head Bjørn Sibbern to CEO, while TMGM tapped Fullerton Markets veteran to lead Liquidity Management.
Executive Moves of the Week
ActivTrades Appoints CEO for Mauritius
ActivTrades appointed Matteo Paganini as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of its Mauritius division. According to Paganni’s LinkedIn post, this move is part of the company's strategy to expand into new markets and grow its global operations. In addition to his new role, Paganini will retain his position as Chief Commercial Officer for the ActivTrades group.
Matteo Paganini
He will also oversee efforts to align global operations and enhance the company’s service delivery. His professional background includes leadership roles at Admirals for Europe and Pepperstone in Italy and Spain. He also contributed to the establishment of Salex S.p.A., recognized as Italy's first FX broker, and managed FXCM’s Italian division and market analysis team.
smartTrade Technologies Promotes Laurent Danesi as Chief Innovation Officer
Laurent Danesi landed a new role as the Chief Innovation Officer of smartTrade Technologies, a provider of multi-asset electronic trading and payments based in France. Danesi is a veteran technology expert who has been with smartTrade Technologies for more than 20 years.
Laurent Danesi, Source: LinkedIn
According to his LinkedIn profile, he joined the firm as a System Architect in 2004. Since then, he has held other roles in the firm, including serving as the Chief Architect, Head of Product Development, and now promoted to Chief Inovation Officer on a permanent basis.
ACY Securities Appoints Phil Kim as Director of Institutional Sales for Asia
ACY Securities boosted its institutional arm, ACY Connect, by appointing seasoned FX professional Phil Kim as Director of Institutional Sales for Asia. Based in Hong Kong, Kim brings nearly two decades of experience to the role. According to the official announcement, he will lead business development efforts across the region.
Phil Kim
Kim will oversee initiatives to cultivate new institutional relationships and identify opportunities within the global market. Reporting directly to ACY Securities' CEO, Jimmy Ye, he will reportedly work closely with the entire ACY Connect team to align sales strategies with the company’s expansion goals.
Former UK Minister Joins Axiom's $75 Million Bitcoin Venture Fund Push
Steve Baker became the latest politician to transition from public service to the cryptocurrency sector. After serving as Minister of State for Northern Ireland for two years and subsequently as Minister of State in the Cabinet Office for six months, he has now joined Axiom.
Steve Baker, Source: YouTube
The Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA) has approved former Minister of State for Northern Ireland Baker's appointment as an advisor to Bitcoin-focused venture capital firm Axiom Venture Fund II LP. The part-time role comes with strict conditions to prevent potential conflicts of interest.
SIX Promotes Exchange Head Sibbern to CEO as Dijsselhof Exits
SIX Group, Switzerland's principal financial market infrastructure operator, appointed Bjørn Sibbern as its new Chief Executive Officer, marking a leadership transition at one of Europe's major exchange operators.
Sibbern, who currently serves as Global Head of Exchanges and sits on SIX's Group Executive Board, will succeed Jos Dijsselhof, who is stepping down after a transformative seven-year tenure to pursue opportunities in the Middle East. The Danish executive brings more than two decades of experience in capital markets, including significant roles at Nasdaq, OMX Exchanges, and E*TRADE Bank Denmark.
TMGM Taps Fullerton Markets Veteran to Lead Liquidity Management
Rainer Phua has announced his new role as Head of Liquidity Management at TMGM. He will be working on-site in Singapore, managing liquidity operations directly from TMGM's regional office. According to the firm, this location will allow him to engage closely with the team and oversee critical functions in person.
Rainer Phua, Source: LinkedIn
Phua brings over a decade of experience in risk and technology management. Before joining TMGM, he spent more than nine years at Fullerton Markets, where his roles included Head of Risk Management for over eight years and Head of Technology for nearly five years.
This week in our executive move segment: ActivTrades appointed CEO for Mauritius; smartTrade Technologies promoted Laurent Danesi as Chief Innovation Officer; ACY Securities onboarded Phil Kim as Director of Institutional Sales for Asia; Former UK Minister joined Axiom's $75 Million Bitcoin Venture Fund.
Elsewhere, SIX promoted Exchange Head Bjørn Sibbern to CEO, while TMGM tapped Fullerton Markets veteran to lead Liquidity Management.
Executive Moves of the Week
ActivTrades Appoints CEO for Mauritius
ActivTrades appointed Matteo Paganini as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of its Mauritius division. According to Paganni’s LinkedIn post, this move is part of the company's strategy to expand into new markets and grow its global operations. In addition to his new role, Paganini will retain his position as Chief Commercial Officer for the ActivTrades group.
Matteo Paganini
He will also oversee efforts to align global operations and enhance the company’s service delivery. His professional background includes leadership roles at Admirals for Europe and Pepperstone in Italy and Spain. He also contributed to the establishment of Salex S.p.A., recognized as Italy's first FX broker, and managed FXCM’s Italian division and market analysis team.
smartTrade Technologies Promotes Laurent Danesi as Chief Innovation Officer
Laurent Danesi landed a new role as the Chief Innovation Officer of smartTrade Technologies, a provider of multi-asset electronic trading and payments based in France. Danesi is a veteran technology expert who has been with smartTrade Technologies for more than 20 years.
Laurent Danesi, Source: LinkedIn
According to his LinkedIn profile, he joined the firm as a System Architect in 2004. Since then, he has held other roles in the firm, including serving as the Chief Architect, Head of Product Development, and now promoted to Chief Inovation Officer on a permanent basis.
ACY Securities Appoints Phil Kim as Director of Institutional Sales for Asia
ACY Securities boosted its institutional arm, ACY Connect, by appointing seasoned FX professional Phil Kim as Director of Institutional Sales for Asia. Based in Hong Kong, Kim brings nearly two decades of experience to the role. According to the official announcement, he will lead business development efforts across the region.
Phil Kim
Kim will oversee initiatives to cultivate new institutional relationships and identify opportunities within the global market. Reporting directly to ACY Securities' CEO, Jimmy Ye, he will reportedly work closely with the entire ACY Connect team to align sales strategies with the company’s expansion goals.
Former UK Minister Joins Axiom's $75 Million Bitcoin Venture Fund Push
Steve Baker became the latest politician to transition from public service to the cryptocurrency sector. After serving as Minister of State for Northern Ireland for two years and subsequently as Minister of State in the Cabinet Office for six months, he has now joined Axiom.
Steve Baker, Source: YouTube
The Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA) has approved former Minister of State for Northern Ireland Baker's appointment as an advisor to Bitcoin-focused venture capital firm Axiom Venture Fund II LP. The part-time role comes with strict conditions to prevent potential conflicts of interest.
SIX Promotes Exchange Head Sibbern to CEO as Dijsselhof Exits
SIX Group, Switzerland's principal financial market infrastructure operator, appointed Bjørn Sibbern as its new Chief Executive Officer, marking a leadership transition at one of Europe's major exchange operators.
Sibbern, who currently serves as Global Head of Exchanges and sits on SIX's Group Executive Board, will succeed Jos Dijsselhof, who is stepping down after a transformative seven-year tenure to pursue opportunities in the Middle East. The Danish executive brings more than two decades of experience in capital markets, including significant roles at Nasdaq, OMX Exchanges, and E*TRADE Bank Denmark.
TMGM Taps Fullerton Markets Veteran to Lead Liquidity Management
Rainer Phua has announced his new role as Head of Liquidity Management at TMGM. He will be working on-site in Singapore, managing liquidity operations directly from TMGM's regional office. According to the firm, this location will allow him to engage closely with the team and oversee critical functions in person.
Rainer Phua, Source: LinkedIn
Phua brings over a decade of experience in risk and technology management. Before joining TMGM, he spent more than nine years at Fullerton Markets, where his roles included Head of Risk Management for over eight years and Head of Technology for nearly five years.
Jared Kirui is an Editor at Finance Magnates with more than five years of experience in financial journalism. He covers online trading, fintech, payments, and crypto industries with a focus on companies, regulation and compliance, executive moves, trading technology, and market analysis.
His work has been featured in other media outlets, including Benzinga, ZyCrypto, The Distributed, and The Daily Hodl.
Education:
Bachelor of Commerce degree (Finance option), University of Nairobi
iForex posts its first annual results as a listed broker. Also ahead: CFI Financial secures a Brazil license, and prediction markets have a big week, with new ETF launches and fresh Polymarket loss data. It's Thursday, the thirtieth of April 2026. You're listening to the Finance Magnates Daily Brief.
iForex posts its first annual results as a listed broker. Also ahead: CFI Financial secures a Brazil license, and prediction markets have a big week, with new ETF launches and fresh Polymarket loss data. It's Thursday, the thirtieth of April 2026. You're listening to the Finance Magnates Daily Brief.
iForex posts its first annual results as a listed broker. Also ahead: CFI Financial secures a Brazil license, and prediction markets have a big week, with new ETF launches and fresh Polymarket loss data. It's Thursday, the thirtieth of April 2026. You're listening to the Finance Magnates Daily Brief.
iForex posts its first annual results as a listed broker. Also ahead: CFI Financial secures a Brazil license, and prediction markets have a big week, with new ETF launches and fresh Polymarket loss data. It's Thursday, the thirtieth of April 2026. You're listening to the Finance Magnates Daily Brief.
iForex posts its first annual results as a listed broker. Also ahead: CFI Financial secures a Brazil license, and prediction markets have a big week, with new ETF launches and fresh Polymarket loss data. It's Thursday, the thirtieth of April 2026. You're listening to the Finance Magnates Daily Brief.
iForex posts its first annual results as a listed broker. Also ahead: CFI Financial secures a Brazil license, and prediction markets have a big week, with new ETF launches and fresh Polymarket loss data. It's Thursday, the thirtieth of April 2026. You're listening to the Finance Magnates Daily Brief.
FM Daily Brief - 29 April 2026
FM Daily Brief - 29 April 2026
FM Daily Brief - 29 April 2026
FM Daily Brief - 29 April 2026
FM Daily Brief - 29 April 2026
FM Daily Brief - 29 April 2026
XTB and Robinhood both post first-quarter earnings. But the numbers point in very different directions. Also ahead: Capital.com pushes into three new markets and signals a move into payments.
It's Wednesday, the 29th of April 2026. You're listening to the Finance Magnates Daily Brief.
XTB and Robinhood both post first-quarter earnings. But the numbers point in very different directions. Also ahead: Capital.com pushes into three new markets and signals a move into payments.
It's Wednesday, the 29th of April 2026. You're listening to the Finance Magnates Daily Brief.
XTB and Robinhood both post first-quarter earnings. But the numbers point in very different directions. Also ahead: Capital.com pushes into three new markets and signals a move into payments.
It's Wednesday, the 29th of April 2026. You're listening to the Finance Magnates Daily Brief.
XTB and Robinhood both post first-quarter earnings. But the numbers point in very different directions. Also ahead: Capital.com pushes into three new markets and signals a move into payments.
It's Wednesday, the 29th of April 2026. You're listening to the Finance Magnates Daily Brief.
XTB and Robinhood both post first-quarter earnings. But the numbers point in very different directions. Also ahead: Capital.com pushes into three new markets and signals a move into payments.
It's Wednesday, the 29th of April 2026. You're listening to the Finance Magnates Daily Brief.
XTB and Robinhood both post first-quarter earnings. But the numbers point in very different directions. Also ahead: Capital.com pushes into three new markets and signals a move into payments.
It's Wednesday, the 29th of April 2026. You're listening to the Finance Magnates Daily Brief.
FM Daily Brief - 28 April 2026
FM Daily Brief - 28 April 2026
FM Daily Brief - 28 April 2026
FM Daily Brief - 28 April 2026
FM Daily Brief - 28 April 2026
FM Daily Brief - 28 April 2026
Startrader posts three-point-one trillion dollars in first-quarter volume — up three hundred and forty percent from a year ago. Also ahead: Fintokei claims sub-second trader payouts, and eToro opens its premium subscription tier to all investors.
Startrader posts three-point-one trillion dollars in first-quarter volume — up three hundred and forty percent from a year ago. Also ahead: Fintokei claims sub-second trader payouts, and eToro opens its premium subscription tier to all investors.
Startrader posts three-point-one trillion dollars in first-quarter volume — up three hundred and forty percent from a year ago. Also ahead: Fintokei claims sub-second trader payouts, and eToro opens its premium subscription tier to all investors.
Startrader posts three-point-one trillion dollars in first-quarter volume — up three hundred and forty percent from a year ago. Also ahead: Fintokei claims sub-second trader payouts, and eToro opens its premium subscription tier to all investors.
Startrader posts three-point-one trillion dollars in first-quarter volume — up three hundred and forty percent from a year ago. Also ahead: Fintokei claims sub-second trader payouts, and eToro opens its premium subscription tier to all investors.
Startrader posts three-point-one trillion dollars in first-quarter volume — up three hundred and forty percent from a year ago. Also ahead: Fintokei claims sub-second trader payouts, and eToro opens its premium subscription tier to all investors.
FM Daily Brief - 27 April 2026
FM Daily Brief - 27 April 2026
FM Daily Brief - 27 April 2026
FM Daily Brief - 27 April 2026
FM Daily Brief - 27 April 2026
FM Daily Brief - 27 April 2026
Finance Magnates spoke with IG Group's MENA CEO. Also ahead: EC Markets posts a record five-point-one-three trillion dollar first quarter. Plus Hola Prime brings in Deloitte to audit prop firm payouts.
Finance Magnates spoke with IG Group's MENA CEO. Also ahead: EC Markets posts a record five-point-one-three trillion dollar first quarter. Plus Hola Prime brings in Deloitte to audit prop firm payouts.
Finance Magnates spoke with IG Group's MENA CEO. Also ahead: EC Markets posts a record five-point-one-three trillion dollar first quarter. Plus Hola Prime brings in Deloitte to audit prop firm payouts.
Finance Magnates spoke with IG Group's MENA CEO. Also ahead: EC Markets posts a record five-point-one-three trillion dollar first quarter. Plus Hola Prime brings in Deloitte to audit prop firm payouts.
Finance Magnates spoke with IG Group's MENA CEO. Also ahead: EC Markets posts a record five-point-one-three trillion dollar first quarter. Plus Hola Prime brings in Deloitte to audit prop firm payouts.
Finance Magnates spoke with IG Group's MENA CEO. Also ahead: EC Markets posts a record five-point-one-three trillion dollar first quarter. Plus Hola Prime brings in Deloitte to audit prop firm payouts.