September kicked off with a busy week of executive moves in the forex, CFD, fintech, prop trading, and crypto space.
In our weekly executive moves coverage, we bring you the latest appointments, promotions, and departures at BDSwiss, Capital.com, Markets.com, TradeLocker, Broadridge, Tickmill, Paysafe, B2C2, smartTrade Technologies, Britannia Global Markets, and Interactive Brokers.
Global Head of Sales at BDSwiss Marios Morfakis
stepped down; Capital.com's Mihail Petkov joined Admirals as Head of Client
Services; Markets.com's Head of MENA Ali Makki departed after nine months;
TradeLocker owner recruited a new executive for its prop firm.
Broadridge hired Brian Pomraning as its Chief Product Officer for Trading and Connectivity; Tickmill's MENA Regional Manager, Samer Alkhaldi, departed after nearly nine years; Paysafe appointed John Crawford as its CFO; Alex Gersh transitioned to an advisory role; and B2C2 onboarded a new US CEO.
Also, smartTrade Technologies elevated Bran-Morales as
Head of Business Development for APAC; Tickmill appointed a new Managing Director
and Head of Partnerships for MENA; Michael Going, who has specialized in FX
sales for over ten years, joined Britannia Global Markets; and ex-Nomura COO
and JP Morgan Executive took on a new role at Interactive Brokers
Executive Moves of the Week
Global Head of Sales at BDSwiss Marios Morfakis Steps Down
Starting our executive move coverage this week, Marios Morfakis announced his resignation as the Global Head of Sales at BDSwiss. Before his position at BDSwiss, Morfakis held several financial service roles. He served as Head of Sales at FxGrow for four months, based in Limassol. Prior to that, he was Regional Manager at FXGM for one year and two months in Nicosia.
Additionally, Morfakis worked as Head of Business Development at Wintrado Technologies AG in Limassol. His earlier roles included Deputy Head of Sales and Deputy Head of Business Development at HF Markets in Cyprus. Morfakis’s career has focused on various aspects of sales and business development within the financial services industry.
Capital.com's Mihail Petkov Joins Admirals as Head of Client Services
Mihail Petkov, Capital.com’s Head of Back Office, moved to Admirals as the Head of Client Services and will be based in Limassol, Cyprus. At Capital.com, Petkov was tasked with leading and managing Group onboarding and payment teams, among other responsibilities.
The industry expert joined the company from StockTech, where he served as the Head of Technical Client Operations. In this role, Petkov managed onboarding and payments. He was also responsible for researching, negotiating, and finalizing internal and third-party features and services.
Markets.com’s Head of MENA Ali Makki Departs after Nine Months
At Markets.com, Ali Makki announced his departure from the firm, where he held the position of Head of the MENA region for nine months. Reflecting on his tenure, Makki expressed gratitude for the experience and the opportunities it provided.
During his time at Markets.com, Makki played a key role in overseeing the organization’s operations and strategic initiatives within the region, contributing to the company’s growth, and navigating regional market dynamics. He has yet to disclose his next steps, although he emphasized his readiness for fresh challenges.
TradeLocker Owner Recruits New Executive for Its Prop Firm
In the prop trading space, Antreas Pilavakis secured a new employer several weeks after officially departing from prop firm The Trading Pit. He joined FunderPro as Operations Manager, a brand belonging to the same owner as TradeLocker, a popular trading platform among prop firms and brokers.
Pilavakis's journey in the prop and financial industry began in May 2022 when he joined The Trading Pit as a customer service representative. In subsequent years, he advanced to head of the department, and from March of this year, he held the position of Business Project Manager.
Broadridge Hires Brian Pomraning as Chief Product Officer for Trading and Connectivity
Meanwhile, Broadridge hired Brian Pomraning as its Chief Product Officer for trading and Connectivity Solutions. Pomraning will spearhead the global product management organization, which encompasses the company’s trading and connectivity products and services.
In a LinkedIn post, the New York-based firm informed: “Brian will be responsible for leading the global product management organization encompassing the full suite of our trading and connectivity products and services. Brian brings twenty-five years of leadership experience in the financial services industry covering product management, sales, marketing, and technology.”
Tickmill's MENA Regional Manager Samer Alkhaldi Departs after Nearly Nine Years
Tickmill’s Regional Manager for the MENA region, Samer Alkhaldi, is leaving the company after dedicating almost nine years. Alkhaldi joined the company in 2015 as MENA Business Development Manager.
Alkhaldi is an industry veteran who has held significant roles in notable industry brands. Some of them include TTG Middle East & North Africa and Lygia Demades Ltd, where he was the Sales Manager.
Paysafe Appoints John Crawford as CFO, Alex Gersh Transitions to Advisory Role
London-based global payment firm Paysafe announced that Alex Gersh, the current Chief Financial Officer (CFO), will step down from his role and transition into an advisory position to the Chief Executive Officer, effective September 4.
The company disclosed that while Gersh will continue to support it in this new capacity at least through the end of the year, John Crawford has been appointed as his successor and will assume the CFO role immediately. Before joining Paysafe, Crawford spent nine years at FIS, where he served as Executive Vice President of Strategy, M&A, and Venture Capital.
B2C2, the SBI-owned cryptocurrency market maker, strengthened its executive team by appointing Cactus Raazi as the Chief Executive Officer of its US unit. He is based in the company’s New Jersey office and will report directly to the Group CEO, Thomas Restout.
Raazi will lead the offering under B2C2 US and will reportedly develop and implement business strategies. He is also expected to build relationships across the US and broader Americas with clients and other stakeholders, including regulators.
smartTrade Technologies Elevates Bran-Morales as Head of Business Development for APAC
Multi-asset electronic and payment platform smartTrade Technologies promoted Catherine Bran-Morales to the position of Head of Business Development APAC. Bran-Morales joined the company as Sales Director EMEA, a role she held for more than four years. Prior to her promotion, she was the EMEA Sales and Business Development Executive for slightly more than a year.
Bran-Morales also worked at Brad Institute, where she held three different roles: Brand Development Manager for Florida and Latin America, Brand Development Manager for Texas, and Sales Executive for New York. Some of her other experience includes working as an Account Manager at Construction Systems of America and as a Financial Management Intern at the City of Oakland.
Tickmill Appoints New Managing Director and Head of Partnerships for MENA
In other executive moves at Tickmill, the retail brokerage brand announced two significant appointments. Joseph Dahrieh was named Managing Director for MENA, while Elie Tarabay will assume the role of Head of Partnerships in the region.
Dahrieh previously worked at Tickmill as the Managing Principal and also served as Country Manager and Market Strategist. His earlier roles include being an instructor at TradeCaptain.com and Vice President of Partnerships at Amana Capital.
Former IG, LMAX, and Capital.com Forex Sales Exec Just Changed Employers
Michael Going, Source: LinkedIn
Michael Going, who has specialized in FX sales for over ten years, joined Britannia Global Markets and will be based in the company's London office. Throughout his career, Going has collaborated with several well-known brokers in the CFD space. For a year, he was a sales trader associated with ETX Capital (now OvalX).
He spent the most time, six years, at IG, where he climbed the career ladder to Institutional Sales. He then moved to LMAX, where he held the position of Senior Sales Executive. For the last two years, he has been associated with Capital.com as a Sales Manager for FX and other assets.
Lastly, Interactive Brokers (UK) Limited confirmed that Graeme Farrell agreed to act as a Director. Currently, Farrell serves as the Group Chief Risk Officer, a role he has held since 2021. Before joining Interactive Brokers, he worked at AQR Capital Management as Global Head of Operational Risk & Resiliency.
His tenure at AQR Capital lasted from 2017 to 2021. In this role, Farrell was responsible for managing various non-financial risks globally, including operational risk, business continuity, and vendor risk.
In our weekly executive moves coverage, we bring you the latest appointments, promotions, and departures at BDSwiss, Capital.com, Markets.com, TradeLocker, Broadridge, Tickmill, Paysafe, B2C2, smartTrade Technologies, Britannia Global Markets, and Interactive Brokers.
Global Head of Sales at BDSwiss Marios Morfakis
stepped down; Capital.com's Mihail Petkov joined Admirals as Head of Client
Services; Markets.com's Head of MENA Ali Makki departed after nine months;
TradeLocker owner recruited a new executive for its prop firm.
Broadridge hired Brian Pomraning as its Chief Product Officer for Trading and Connectivity; Tickmill's MENA Regional Manager, Samer Alkhaldi, departed after nearly nine years; Paysafe appointed John Crawford as its CFO; Alex Gersh transitioned to an advisory role; and B2C2 onboarded a new US CEO.
Also, smartTrade Technologies elevated Bran-Morales as
Head of Business Development for APAC; Tickmill appointed a new Managing Director
and Head of Partnerships for MENA; Michael Going, who has specialized in FX
sales for over ten years, joined Britannia Global Markets; and ex-Nomura COO
and JP Morgan Executive took on a new role at Interactive Brokers
Executive Moves of the Week
Global Head of Sales at BDSwiss Marios Morfakis Steps Down
Starting our executive move coverage this week, Marios Morfakis announced his resignation as the Global Head of Sales at BDSwiss. Before his position at BDSwiss, Morfakis held several financial service roles. He served as Head of Sales at FxGrow for four months, based in Limassol. Prior to that, he was Regional Manager at FXGM for one year and two months in Nicosia.
Additionally, Morfakis worked as Head of Business Development at Wintrado Technologies AG in Limassol. His earlier roles included Deputy Head of Sales and Deputy Head of Business Development at HF Markets in Cyprus. Morfakis’s career has focused on various aspects of sales and business development within the financial services industry.
Capital.com's Mihail Petkov Joins Admirals as Head of Client Services
Mihail Petkov, Capital.com’s Head of Back Office, moved to Admirals as the Head of Client Services and will be based in Limassol, Cyprus. At Capital.com, Petkov was tasked with leading and managing Group onboarding and payment teams, among other responsibilities.
The industry expert joined the company from StockTech, where he served as the Head of Technical Client Operations. In this role, Petkov managed onboarding and payments. He was also responsible for researching, negotiating, and finalizing internal and third-party features and services.
Markets.com’s Head of MENA Ali Makki Departs after Nine Months
At Markets.com, Ali Makki announced his departure from the firm, where he held the position of Head of the MENA region for nine months. Reflecting on his tenure, Makki expressed gratitude for the experience and the opportunities it provided.
During his time at Markets.com, Makki played a key role in overseeing the organization’s operations and strategic initiatives within the region, contributing to the company’s growth, and navigating regional market dynamics. He has yet to disclose his next steps, although he emphasized his readiness for fresh challenges.
TradeLocker Owner Recruits New Executive for Its Prop Firm
In the prop trading space, Antreas Pilavakis secured a new employer several weeks after officially departing from prop firm The Trading Pit. He joined FunderPro as Operations Manager, a brand belonging to the same owner as TradeLocker, a popular trading platform among prop firms and brokers.
Pilavakis's journey in the prop and financial industry began in May 2022 when he joined The Trading Pit as a customer service representative. In subsequent years, he advanced to head of the department, and from March of this year, he held the position of Business Project Manager.
Broadridge Hires Brian Pomraning as Chief Product Officer for Trading and Connectivity
Meanwhile, Broadridge hired Brian Pomraning as its Chief Product Officer for trading and Connectivity Solutions. Pomraning will spearhead the global product management organization, which encompasses the company’s trading and connectivity products and services.
In a LinkedIn post, the New York-based firm informed: “Brian will be responsible for leading the global product management organization encompassing the full suite of our trading and connectivity products and services. Brian brings twenty-five years of leadership experience in the financial services industry covering product management, sales, marketing, and technology.”
Tickmill's MENA Regional Manager Samer Alkhaldi Departs after Nearly Nine Years
Tickmill’s Regional Manager for the MENA region, Samer Alkhaldi, is leaving the company after dedicating almost nine years. Alkhaldi joined the company in 2015 as MENA Business Development Manager.
Alkhaldi is an industry veteran who has held significant roles in notable industry brands. Some of them include TTG Middle East & North Africa and Lygia Demades Ltd, where he was the Sales Manager.
Paysafe Appoints John Crawford as CFO, Alex Gersh Transitions to Advisory Role
London-based global payment firm Paysafe announced that Alex Gersh, the current Chief Financial Officer (CFO), will step down from his role and transition into an advisory position to the Chief Executive Officer, effective September 4.
The company disclosed that while Gersh will continue to support it in this new capacity at least through the end of the year, John Crawford has been appointed as his successor and will assume the CFO role immediately. Before joining Paysafe, Crawford spent nine years at FIS, where he served as Executive Vice President of Strategy, M&A, and Venture Capital.
B2C2, the SBI-owned cryptocurrency market maker, strengthened its executive team by appointing Cactus Raazi as the Chief Executive Officer of its US unit. He is based in the company’s New Jersey office and will report directly to the Group CEO, Thomas Restout.
Raazi will lead the offering under B2C2 US and will reportedly develop and implement business strategies. He is also expected to build relationships across the US and broader Americas with clients and other stakeholders, including regulators.
smartTrade Technologies Elevates Bran-Morales as Head of Business Development for APAC
Multi-asset electronic and payment platform smartTrade Technologies promoted Catherine Bran-Morales to the position of Head of Business Development APAC. Bran-Morales joined the company as Sales Director EMEA, a role she held for more than four years. Prior to her promotion, she was the EMEA Sales and Business Development Executive for slightly more than a year.
Bran-Morales also worked at Brad Institute, where she held three different roles: Brand Development Manager for Florida and Latin America, Brand Development Manager for Texas, and Sales Executive for New York. Some of her other experience includes working as an Account Manager at Construction Systems of America and as a Financial Management Intern at the City of Oakland.
Tickmill Appoints New Managing Director and Head of Partnerships for MENA
In other executive moves at Tickmill, the retail brokerage brand announced two significant appointments. Joseph Dahrieh was named Managing Director for MENA, while Elie Tarabay will assume the role of Head of Partnerships in the region.
Dahrieh previously worked at Tickmill as the Managing Principal and also served as Country Manager and Market Strategist. His earlier roles include being an instructor at TradeCaptain.com and Vice President of Partnerships at Amana Capital.
Former IG, LMAX, and Capital.com Forex Sales Exec Just Changed Employers
Michael Going, Source: LinkedIn
Michael Going, who has specialized in FX sales for over ten years, joined Britannia Global Markets and will be based in the company's London office. Throughout his career, Going has collaborated with several well-known brokers in the CFD space. For a year, he was a sales trader associated with ETX Capital (now OvalX).
He spent the most time, six years, at IG, where he climbed the career ladder to Institutional Sales. He then moved to LMAX, where he held the position of Senior Sales Executive. For the last two years, he has been associated with Capital.com as a Sales Manager for FX and other assets.
Lastly, Interactive Brokers (UK) Limited confirmed that Graeme Farrell agreed to act as a Director. Currently, Farrell serves as the Group Chief Risk Officer, a role he has held since 2021. Before joining Interactive Brokers, he worked at AQR Capital Management as Global Head of Operational Risk & Resiliency.
His tenure at AQR Capital lasted from 2017 to 2021. In this role, Farrell was responsible for managing various non-financial risks globally, including operational risk, business continuity, and vendor risk.
In this conversation, we speak with Aydin Bonabi, CEO and co-founder of Surveill, a firm focused on fraud detection and AI-driven compliance tools for financial institutions.
We start with Aydin’s view of the Summit and the challenges brokers face as fraud tactics grow more complex. He explains how firms can stay ahead through real-time signals, data patterns, and early-stage detection.
We also talk about AI training and why compliance teams often struggle to keep models accurate, fair, and aligned with regulatory expectations. Aydin breaks down what “good” AI training looks like inside a financial environment, including the importance of clean data, domain expertise, and human oversight.
He closes with a clear message: fraud is scaling, and so must the tools that stop it.
In this conversation, we speak with Aydin Bonabi, CEO and co-founder of Surveill, a firm focused on fraud detection and AI-driven compliance tools for financial institutions.
We start with Aydin’s view of the Summit and the challenges brokers face as fraud tactics grow more complex. He explains how firms can stay ahead through real-time signals, data patterns, and early-stage detection.
We also talk about AI training and why compliance teams often struggle to keep models accurate, fair, and aligned with regulatory expectations. Aydin breaks down what “good” AI training looks like inside a financial environment, including the importance of clean data, domain expertise, and human oversight.
He closes with a clear message: fraud is scaling, and so must the tools that stop it.
Exness expands its presence in Africa: Inside our interview with Paul Margarites in Cape Town
Exness expands its presence in Africa: Inside our interview with Paul Margarites in Cape Town
Finance Magnates met with Paul Margarites, Exness regional commercial director for Sub-Saharan Africa, during a visit to the firm’s office opening in Cape Town. In this talk, led by Andrea Badiola Mateos, Co-CEO at Finance Magnates, Paul shares views on the South African trading space, local user behavior, mobile trends, regulation, team growth, and how Exness plans to grow in more markets across the region. @Exness
Read the article at: https://www.financemagnates.com/thought-leadership/exness-expands-its-presence-in-africa-inside-our-interview-with-paul-margarites/
#exness #financemagnates #exnesstrading #CFDtrading #tradeonline #africanews #capetown
Finance Magnates met with Paul Margarites, Exness regional commercial director for Sub-Saharan Africa, during a visit to the firm’s office opening in Cape Town. In this talk, led by Andrea Badiola Mateos, Co-CEO at Finance Magnates, Paul shares views on the South African trading space, local user behavior, mobile trends, regulation, team growth, and how Exness plans to grow in more markets across the region. @Exness
Read the article at: https://www.financemagnates.com/thought-leadership/exness-expands-its-presence-in-africa-inside-our-interview-with-paul-margarites/
#exness #financemagnates #exnesstrading #CFDtrading #tradeonline #africanews #capetown
Executive Interview | Jas Shah | FMLS:25
Executive Interview | Jas Shah | FMLS:25
Interview with Jas Shah
Builder | Adviser | Fintech Writer | Product Strategist
In this episode, Jonathan Fine sat down with Jas Shah, one of the most thoughtful voices in global fintech. Known for his work across advisory, product, stablecoins, and his widely read writing, Jas brings a rare combination of industry insight and plain-spoken clarity.
We talk about his first impression of the Summit, the projects that keep him busy today, and how they connect to the stablecoin panel he joined. Jas shares his view on the link between fintech, wealthtech and retail brokers, especially as firms like Revolut, eToro and Trading212 blur long-standing lines in the market.
We also explore what stablecoin adoption might look like for retail investment platforms, including a few product and UX angles that are not obvious at first glance.
To close, Jas explains how he thinks about writing, and how he approaches “shipping” pieces that spark debate across the industry.
Interview with Jas Shah
Builder | Adviser | Fintech Writer | Product Strategist
In this episode, Jonathan Fine sat down with Jas Shah, one of the most thoughtful voices in global fintech. Known for his work across advisory, product, stablecoins, and his widely read writing, Jas brings a rare combination of industry insight and plain-spoken clarity.
We talk about his first impression of the Summit, the projects that keep him busy today, and how they connect to the stablecoin panel he joined. Jas shares his view on the link between fintech, wealthtech and retail brokers, especially as firms like Revolut, eToro and Trading212 blur long-standing lines in the market.
We also explore what stablecoin adoption might look like for retail investment platforms, including a few product and UX angles that are not obvious at first glance.
To close, Jas explains how he thinks about writing, and how he approaches “shipping” pieces that spark debate across the industry.
Vitalii Bulynin Talks About Versus Trade, New Pairs, and Big Plans
Vitalii Bulynin Talks About Versus Trade, New Pairs, and Big Plans
In this interview, Versus Trade Co-Founder Vitalii Bulynin explains how the company got its license fast, why its trading pairs are fresh and fun, and what the team will build next.
He also discusses the most active pairs, the IB and MIB plans, and hiring needs for new markets.
Watch the whole talk to learn more about how Versus Trade works and where it is heading.
#financemagnates #VersusTrade #TradingPairs #BTCvsGold #goldtrading #innovation
In this interview, Versus Trade Co-Founder Vitalii Bulynin explains how the company got its license fast, why its trading pairs are fresh and fun, and what the team will build next.
He also discusses the most active pairs, the IB and MIB plans, and hiring needs for new markets.
Watch the whole talk to learn more about how Versus Trade works and where it is heading.
#financemagnates #VersusTrade #TradingPairs #BTCvsGold #goldtrading #innovation
Marketing in 2026 Audiences, Costs, and Smarter AI
Marketing in 2026 Audiences, Costs, and Smarter AI
As brokers eye B2B business and compete with fintechs and crypto exchanges alike, marketers need to act wisely with often limited budgets. AI can offer scalable solutions, but only if used properly.
Join seasoned marketing executives and specialists as they discuss the main challenges they identify in financial services in 2026 and how they address them.
Attendees of this session will walk away with:
- A nuts-and-bolts account of acquisition costs across platforms and geos
- Analysis of today’s multi-layered audience segments and differences in behaviour
- First-hand account of how global brokers balance consistency and local flavour
- Notes from the field about intelligently using AI and automation in marketing
Speakers:
-Yam Yehoshua, Editor-In-Chief at Finance Magnates
-Federico Paderni, Managing Director for Growth Markets in Europe at X
-Jo Benton, Chief Marketing Officer, Consulting | Fractional CMO
-Itai Levitan, Head of Strategy at investingLive
-Roberto Napolitano, CMO at Innovate Finance
-Tony Cross, Director at Monk Communications
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #FintechMarketing #AI #DigitalStrategy #Fintech #Innovation
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
As brokers eye B2B business and compete with fintechs and crypto exchanges alike, marketers need to act wisely with often limited budgets. AI can offer scalable solutions, but only if used properly.
Join seasoned marketing executives and specialists as they discuss the main challenges they identify in financial services in 2026 and how they address them.
Attendees of this session will walk away with:
- A nuts-and-bolts account of acquisition costs across platforms and geos
- Analysis of today’s multi-layered audience segments and differences in behaviour
- First-hand account of how global brokers balance consistency and local flavour
- Notes from the field about intelligently using AI and automation in marketing
Speakers:
-Yam Yehoshua, Editor-In-Chief at Finance Magnates
-Federico Paderni, Managing Director for Growth Markets in Europe at X
-Jo Benton, Chief Marketing Officer, Consulting | Fractional CMO
-Itai Levitan, Head of Strategy at investingLive
-Roberto Napolitano, CMO at Innovate Finance
-Tony Cross, Director at Monk Communications
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #FintechMarketing #AI #DigitalStrategy #Fintech #Innovation
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
