This week, IG Group appointed Michael Vaughan as Chief Executive Officer of its North American division.
EC Markets hired two executives from Doo Group, among other moves.
Head of CMC Markets Middle East departs
Among key executive moves this week, Richard Elston left CMC Markets after more than ten
years with the company. He initially joined
to lead CMC’s institutional business, which launched in 2016 following his
appointment.
Richard Elston, Source: LinkedIn
Elston served as Head of CMC’s Institutional team and the
Connect brand starting in July 2015. In early 2025, he transitioned to Dubai to
lead CMC Markets’ Middle East operations based in the DIFC, a role he held
until his departure.
At the same time, IG Group appointed Michael Vaughan as
Chief Executive Officer of its North American division. Vaughan brings over 30
years of experience in the technology and fintech sectors, including
operational leadership and advisory roles.
Michael Vaughan, Source LinkedIn
He previously served as Chief Operating Officer at Venmo, a
PayPal-owned fintech, and has significant expertise in scaling digital
financial platforms.
oneZero Financial Systems enlisted Asiff Hirji to its board
of directors. Hirji previously served as president and chief operating officer
at Coinbase from 2017 to 2019.
Asiff Hirji
His extensive experience also includes leading TD Ameritrade
as president from 2003 to 2007 during a significant growth phase, and chairing
the board at Saxo Bank, a European online trading platform, from 2014 to 2015.
Finalto taps ex-CMC Markets’ exec as UK/EU liquidity head
Elsewhere, Sam Horowitz has joined Finalto as the UK and EU Head of Liquidity, where he will manage liquidity operations across the region. He brings extensive experience from senior FX roles at firms including CMC Markets, BBVA, Marex, Lloyds, and Louis Capital.
Sam Horowitz, Source: LinkedIn
Horowitz most recently served as Head of Treasury at Rafiki (by Nala) from March to September 2025, leading treasury and trading functions for fintech businesses backed by Accel and Y-Combinator.
Ian Daniels has been appointed Chief Operating Officer and Global Head of eFX at London-based FX broker SmartMoney. SmartMoney provides trading services with API or GUI access and emphasizes low-latency trading.
Ian Daniels
Daniels recently moved to SmartMoney from BGC and has been serving as an Executive Committee Member at the ACI UK Financial Markets Association since November 2022.
In the UK, CFD broker ActivTrades announced two executive promotions within its senior leadership team. Danislav Gurbalov, who joined the firm in 2022 and was most recently Head of Marketing Operations, was promoted to Chief Marketing Officer.
Danislav Gurbalov and Nedko Geshev
Nedko Geshev, who has worked at the firm for over three years, was elevated to Chief Communications Officer. Both promotions reflect the company’s strategy of elevating long-standing team members to key leadership roles.
Also this week, GTC Group named Alexandros Patsalides as Vice President of Institutional. In this role, he will primarily focus on GTC Prime, the Group’s institutional trading division.
Alexandros Patsalides, Source: LinkedIn
Patsalides will work closely with the Group’s C-suite executives to support the ongoing expansion of operations and the adoption of new technology solutions across GTC Group’s retail and institutional businesses.
Brokers are also competing within the industry for top
talent. EC Markets has appointed Omar Qumuq as its new Managing Director, and Qumuq will be based in the company’s Dubai office.
Omar Qumuq and Rohan Kumar
In addition, EC Markets named Rohan Kumar as its Sales
Director. Kumar, formerly Sales Manager at Doo Prime, has held senior roles
including Senior Business Development Manager at STARTRADER and Senior Account
Manager at EXANTE.
Lastly, GCEX appointed Steve Thomas, a seasoned foreign exchange and digital asset executive, to expand its UK and European institutional sales operations amid growing demand for crypto trading services.
Steve Thomas, Source: LinkedIn
Thomas joins the digital prime brokerage firm from Laser Digital, where he spent two years in FICC sales and distribution. With over 25 years of experience, Thomas’s background includes senior roles at Menai Financial Group, CBOE Global Markets, Hotspot FX, and Saxo Bank.
Among key executive moves this week, Richard Elston left CMC Markets after more than ten
years with the company. He initially joined
to lead CMC’s institutional business, which launched in 2016 following his
appointment.
Richard Elston, Source: LinkedIn
Elston served as Head of CMC’s Institutional team and the
Connect brand starting in July 2015. In early 2025, he transitioned to Dubai to
lead CMC Markets’ Middle East operations based in the DIFC, a role he held
until his departure.
At the same time, IG Group appointed Michael Vaughan as
Chief Executive Officer of its North American division. Vaughan brings over 30
years of experience in the technology and fintech sectors, including
operational leadership and advisory roles.
Michael Vaughan, Source LinkedIn
He previously served as Chief Operating Officer at Venmo, a
PayPal-owned fintech, and has significant expertise in scaling digital
financial platforms.
oneZero Financial Systems enlisted Asiff Hirji to its board
of directors. Hirji previously served as president and chief operating officer
at Coinbase from 2017 to 2019.
Asiff Hirji
His extensive experience also includes leading TD Ameritrade
as president from 2003 to 2007 during a significant growth phase, and chairing
the board at Saxo Bank, a European online trading platform, from 2014 to 2015.
Finalto taps ex-CMC Markets’ exec as UK/EU liquidity head
Elsewhere, Sam Horowitz has joined Finalto as the UK and EU Head of Liquidity, where he will manage liquidity operations across the region. He brings extensive experience from senior FX roles at firms including CMC Markets, BBVA, Marex, Lloyds, and Louis Capital.
Sam Horowitz, Source: LinkedIn
Horowitz most recently served as Head of Treasury at Rafiki (by Nala) from March to September 2025, leading treasury and trading functions for fintech businesses backed by Accel and Y-Combinator.
Ian Daniels has been appointed Chief Operating Officer and Global Head of eFX at London-based FX broker SmartMoney. SmartMoney provides trading services with API or GUI access and emphasizes low-latency trading.
Ian Daniels
Daniels recently moved to SmartMoney from BGC and has been serving as an Executive Committee Member at the ACI UK Financial Markets Association since November 2022.
In the UK, CFD broker ActivTrades announced two executive promotions within its senior leadership team. Danislav Gurbalov, who joined the firm in 2022 and was most recently Head of Marketing Operations, was promoted to Chief Marketing Officer.
Danislav Gurbalov and Nedko Geshev
Nedko Geshev, who has worked at the firm for over three years, was elevated to Chief Communications Officer. Both promotions reflect the company’s strategy of elevating long-standing team members to key leadership roles.
Also this week, GTC Group named Alexandros Patsalides as Vice President of Institutional. In this role, he will primarily focus on GTC Prime, the Group’s institutional trading division.
Alexandros Patsalides, Source: LinkedIn
Patsalides will work closely with the Group’s C-suite executives to support the ongoing expansion of operations and the adoption of new technology solutions across GTC Group’s retail and institutional businesses.
Brokers are also competing within the industry for top
talent. EC Markets has appointed Omar Qumuq as its new Managing Director, and Qumuq will be based in the company’s Dubai office.
Omar Qumuq and Rohan Kumar
In addition, EC Markets named Rohan Kumar as its Sales
Director. Kumar, formerly Sales Manager at Doo Prime, has held senior roles
including Senior Business Development Manager at STARTRADER and Senior Account
Manager at EXANTE.
Lastly, GCEX appointed Steve Thomas, a seasoned foreign exchange and digital asset executive, to expand its UK and European institutional sales operations amid growing demand for crypto trading services.
Steve Thomas, Source: LinkedIn
Thomas joins the digital prime brokerage firm from Laser Digital, where he spent two years in FICC sales and distribution. With over 25 years of experience, Thomas’s background includes senior roles at Menai Financial Group, CBOE Global Markets, Hotspot FX, and Saxo Bank.
Sarah Court Named ASIC's New Chair as Women Take Control of Australia's Economic Watchdogs
Hannah Hill on Innovation, Branding & Award-Winning Technology | Executive Interview | AXI
Hannah Hill on Innovation, Branding & Award-Winning Technology | Executive Interview | AXI
Recorded live at FMLS:25, this executive interview features Hannah Hill, Head of Brand and Sponsorship at AXI, in conversation with Finance Magnates, following AXI’s win for Most Innovative Broker of the Year 2025.
In this wide-ranging discussion, Hannah shares insights on:
🔹What winning the Finance Magnates award means for AXI’s credibility and innovation
🔹How the launch of AXI Select, the capital allocation program, is redefining industry standards
🔹The development and rollout of the AXI trading app across multiple markets
🔹Driving brand evolution alongside technological advancements
🔹Encouraging and recognizing teams behind the scenes
🔹The role of marketing, content, and social media in building product awareness
Hannah explains why standout products, strategic branding, and a focus on innovation are key to growing visibility and staying ahead in a competitive brokerage landscape.
🏆 Award Highlight: Most Innovative Broker of the Year 2025
👉 Subscribe to Finance Magnates for more executive interviews, industry insights, and exclusive coverage from the world’s leading financial events.
#FMLS25 #FinanceMagnates #MostInnovativeBroker #TradingTechnology #FinTech #Brokerage #ExecutiveInterview #AXI
Recorded live at FMLS:25, this executive interview features Hannah Hill, Head of Brand and Sponsorship at AXI, in conversation with Finance Magnates, following AXI’s win for Most Innovative Broker of the Year 2025.
In this wide-ranging discussion, Hannah shares insights on:
🔹What winning the Finance Magnates award means for AXI’s credibility and innovation
🔹How the launch of AXI Select, the capital allocation program, is redefining industry standards
🔹The development and rollout of the AXI trading app across multiple markets
🔹Driving brand evolution alongside technological advancements
🔹Encouraging and recognizing teams behind the scenes
🔹The role of marketing, content, and social media in building product awareness
Hannah explains why standout products, strategic branding, and a focus on innovation are key to growing visibility and staying ahead in a competitive brokerage landscape.
🏆 Award Highlight: Most Innovative Broker of the Year 2025
👉 Subscribe to Finance Magnates for more executive interviews, industry insights, and exclusive coverage from the world’s leading financial events.
#FMLS25 #FinanceMagnates #MostInnovativeBroker #TradingTechnology #FinTech #Brokerage #ExecutiveInterview #AXI
Executive Interview | Dor Eligula | Co-Founder & Chief Business Officer, BridgeWise | FMLS:25
Executive Interview | Dor Eligula | Co-Founder & Chief Business Officer, BridgeWise | FMLS:25
In this session, Jonathan Fine form Ultimate Group speaks with Dor Eligula from Bridgewise, a fast-growing AI-powered research and analytics firm supporting brokers and exchanges worldwide.
We start with Dor’s reaction to the Summit and then move to broker growth and the quick wins brokers often overlook. Dor shares where he sees “blue ocean” growth across Asian markets and how local client behaviour shapes demand.
We also discuss the rollout of AI across investment research. Dor gives real examples of how automation and human judgment meet at Bridgewise — including moments when analysts corrected AI output, and times when AI prevented an error.
We close with a practical question: how retail investors can actually use AI without falling into common traps.
In this session, Jonathan Fine form Ultimate Group speaks with Dor Eligula from Bridgewise, a fast-growing AI-powered research and analytics firm supporting brokers and exchanges worldwide.
We start with Dor’s reaction to the Summit and then move to broker growth and the quick wins brokers often overlook. Dor shares where he sees “blue ocean” growth across Asian markets and how local client behaviour shapes demand.
We also discuss the rollout of AI across investment research. Dor gives real examples of how automation and human judgment meet at Bridgewise — including moments when analysts corrected AI output, and times when AI prevented an error.
We close with a practical question: how retail investors can actually use AI without falling into common traps.
Brendan Callan joined us fresh off the Summit’s most anticipated debate: “Is Prop Trading Good for the Industry?” Brendan argued against the motion — and the audience voted him the winner.
In this interview, Brendan explains the reasoning behind his position. He walks through the message he believes many firms avoid: that the current prop trading model is too dependent on fees, too loose on risk, and too confusing for retail audiences.
We discuss why he thinks the model grew fast, why it may run into walls, and what he believes is needed for a cleaner, more responsible version of prop trading.
This is Brendan at his frankest — sharp, grounded, and very clear about what changes are overdue.
Brendan Callan joined us fresh off the Summit’s most anticipated debate: “Is Prop Trading Good for the Industry?” Brendan argued against the motion — and the audience voted him the winner.
In this interview, Brendan explains the reasoning behind his position. He walks through the message he believes many firms avoid: that the current prop trading model is too dependent on fees, too loose on risk, and too confusing for retail audiences.
We discuss why he thinks the model grew fast, why it may run into walls, and what he believes is needed for a cleaner, more responsible version of prop trading.
This is Brendan at his frankest — sharp, grounded, and very clear about what changes are overdue.
Elina Pedersen on Growth, Stability & Ultra-Low Latency | Executive Interview | Your Bourse
Elina Pedersen on Growth, Stability & Ultra-Low Latency | Executive Interview | Your Bourse
Recorded live at FMLS:25 London, this executive interview features Elina Pedersen, in conversation with Finance Magnates, following her company’s win for Best Connectivity 2025.
🔹In this wide-ranging discussion, Elina shares insights on:
🔹What winning a Finance Magnates award means for credibility and reputation
🔹How broker demand for stability and reliability is driving rapid growth
🔹The launch of a new trade server enabling flexible front-end integrations
🔹Why ultra-low latency must be proven with data, not buzzwords
🔹Common mistakes brokers make when scaling globally
🔹Educating the industry through a newly launched Dealers Academy
🔹Where AI fits into trading infrastructure and where it doesn’t
Elina explains why resilient back-end infrastructure, deep client partnerships, and disciplined focus are critical for brokers looking to scale sustainably in today’s competitive market.
🏆 Award Highlight: Best Connectivity 2025
👉 Subscribe to Finance Magnates for more executive interviews, industry insights, and exclusive coverage from the world’s leading financial events.
#FMLS25 #FinanceMagnates #BestConnectivity #TradingTechnology #UltraLowLatency #FinTech #Brokerage #ExecutiveInterview
Recorded live at FMLS:25 London, this executive interview features Elina Pedersen, in conversation with Finance Magnates, following her company’s win for Best Connectivity 2025.
🔹In this wide-ranging discussion, Elina shares insights on:
🔹What winning a Finance Magnates award means for credibility and reputation
🔹How broker demand for stability and reliability is driving rapid growth
🔹The launch of a new trade server enabling flexible front-end integrations
🔹Why ultra-low latency must be proven with data, not buzzwords
🔹Common mistakes brokers make when scaling globally
🔹Educating the industry through a newly launched Dealers Academy
🔹Where AI fits into trading infrastructure and where it doesn’t
Elina explains why resilient back-end infrastructure, deep client partnerships, and disciplined focus are critical for brokers looking to scale sustainably in today’s competitive market.
🏆 Award Highlight: Best Connectivity 2025
👉 Subscribe to Finance Magnates for more executive interviews, industry insights, and exclusive coverage from the world’s leading financial events.
#FMLS25 #FinanceMagnates #BestConnectivity #TradingTechnology #UltraLowLatency #FinTech #Brokerage #ExecutiveInterview
In this video, we take an in-depth look at @BlueberryMarketsForex , a forex and CFD broker operating since 2016, offering access to multiple trading platforms, over 1,000 instruments, and flexible account types for different trading styles.
We break down Blueberry’s regulatory structure, including its Australian Financial Services License (AFSL), as well as its authorisation and registrations in other jurisdictions. The review also covers supported platforms such as MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader, TradingView, Blueberry.X, and web-based trading.
You’ll learn about available instruments across forex, commodities, indices, share CFDs, and crypto CFDs, along with leverage options, minimum and maximum trade sizes, and how Blueberry structures its Standard and Raw accounts.
We also explain spreads, commissions, swap rates, swap-free account availability, funding and withdrawal methods, processing times, and what traders can expect from customer support and additional services.
Watch the full review to see whether Blueberry’s trading setup aligns with your experience level, strategy, and risk tolerance.
📣 Stay up to date with the latest in finance and trading. Follow Finance Magnates for industry news, insights, and global event coverage.
Connect with us:
🔗 LinkedIn: /financemagnates
👍 Facebook: /financemagnates
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/financemagnates
🐦 X: https://x.com/financemagnates
🎥 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/tag/financemagnates
▶️ YouTube: /@financemagnates_official
#Blueberry #BlueberryMarkets #BrokerReview #ForexBroker #CFDTrading #OnlineTrading #FinanceMagnates #TradingPlatforms #MarketInsights
In this video, we take an in-depth look at @BlueberryMarketsForex , a forex and CFD broker operating since 2016, offering access to multiple trading platforms, over 1,000 instruments, and flexible account types for different trading styles.
We break down Blueberry’s regulatory structure, including its Australian Financial Services License (AFSL), as well as its authorisation and registrations in other jurisdictions. The review also covers supported platforms such as MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader, TradingView, Blueberry.X, and web-based trading.
You’ll learn about available instruments across forex, commodities, indices, share CFDs, and crypto CFDs, along with leverage options, minimum and maximum trade sizes, and how Blueberry structures its Standard and Raw accounts.
We also explain spreads, commissions, swap rates, swap-free account availability, funding and withdrawal methods, processing times, and what traders can expect from customer support and additional services.
Watch the full review to see whether Blueberry’s trading setup aligns with your experience level, strategy, and risk tolerance.
📣 Stay up to date with the latest in finance and trading. Follow Finance Magnates for industry news, insights, and global event coverage.
Connect with us:
🔗 LinkedIn: /financemagnates
👍 Facebook: /financemagnates
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/financemagnates
🐦 X: https://x.com/financemagnates
🎥 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/tag/financemagnates
▶️ YouTube: /@financemagnates_official
#Blueberry #BlueberryMarkets #BrokerReview #ForexBroker #CFDTrading #OnlineTrading #FinanceMagnates #TradingPlatforms #MarketInsights
