Financial and Business News

Equiti Appoints CISO and Head of Compliance Following AI, Risk, and Finance Changes

Tuesday, 25/11/2025 | 10:44 GMT by Tareq Sikder
  • The firm appoints Patrick Pitchappa as CISO and Abdullatif Manlla as Head of Compliance, UAE.
  • Recent leadership changes include Chief Technology Officer, Chief Risk and Audit Officer, and Chief Financial Officer.
Equity

Equiti Group has appointed Patrick Pitchappa as Chief Information Security Officer and Abdullatif Manlla as Head of Compliance and MLRO, UAE.

Join IG, CMC, and Robinhood at London’s leading trading industry event!

These appointments follow recent senior leadership changes at the firm. Sartaj Singh was promoted to Chief Technology Officer, focusing on AI and automation integration. Rick Fulton became Chief Risk and Audit Officer, overseeing market, credit, and operational risk. Sean Hong took over as Chief Financial Officer, tasked with restructuring finance operations and improving cost controls.

CISO Role and Responsibilities Detailed

Group CEO Iskandar Najjar said Equiti’s “foundations of governance, security, and innovation have guided our growth” and that the appointments will “continue strengthening those principles” during the firm’s global expansion.

Pitchappa has over 28 years of experience in cybersecurity , IT risk, and technology operations. He has previously held roles at First Abu Dhabi Bank, BNP Paribas, Société Générale, Goldman Sachs, and VISA Inc.

He will lead Equiti’s cybersecurity strategy. He said: “Security is a shared responsibility. At Equiti, we stay ahead of evolving cyber risks, meet regulatory expectations, and protect client privacy at every step.”

Compliance Head Oversees Regulatory Alignment

Manlla has experience in compliance, governance, and AML/CFT frameworks in the UAE financial sector. He previously worked at ADS Securities and First Abu Dhabi Bank. He will oversee Equiti’s compliance strategy and regulatory alignment.

He said: “Governance and compliance are integral to Equiti's success. My focus is on maintaining frameworks that are strong, agile, and aligned with global best practices.”

Retail and Institutional Trading Expands Regionally

Equiti has also made several recent internal appointments, including Yiannos Xenophontos as Group Head of Trading in Dubai and Karen Tatyan as Head of Database.

The firm operates across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, holding licenses in the UK, UAE, and Cyprus. It serves retail, professional, and institutional clients through its trading platforms and payment systems,

Equiti Group has appointed Patrick Pitchappa as Chief Information Security Officer and Abdullatif Manlla as Head of Compliance and MLRO, UAE.

Join IG, CMC, and Robinhood at London’s leading trading industry event!

These appointments follow recent senior leadership changes at the firm. Sartaj Singh was promoted to Chief Technology Officer, focusing on AI and automation integration. Rick Fulton became Chief Risk and Audit Officer, overseeing market, credit, and operational risk. Sean Hong took over as Chief Financial Officer, tasked with restructuring finance operations and improving cost controls.

CISO Role and Responsibilities Detailed

Group CEO Iskandar Najjar said Equiti’s “foundations of governance, security, and innovation have guided our growth” and that the appointments will “continue strengthening those principles” during the firm’s global expansion.

Pitchappa has over 28 years of experience in cybersecurity , IT risk, and technology operations. He has previously held roles at First Abu Dhabi Bank, BNP Paribas, Société Générale, Goldman Sachs, and VISA Inc.

He will lead Equiti’s cybersecurity strategy. He said: “Security is a shared responsibility. At Equiti, we stay ahead of evolving cyber risks, meet regulatory expectations, and protect client privacy at every step.”

Compliance Head Oversees Regulatory Alignment

Manlla has experience in compliance, governance, and AML/CFT frameworks in the UAE financial sector. He previously worked at ADS Securities and First Abu Dhabi Bank. He will oversee Equiti’s compliance strategy and regulatory alignment.

He said: “Governance and compliance are integral to Equiti's success. My focus is on maintaining frameworks that are strong, agile, and aligned with global best practices.”

Retail and Institutional Trading Expands Regionally

Equiti has also made several recent internal appointments, including Yiannos Xenophontos as Group Head of Trading in Dubai and Karen Tatyan as Head of Database.

The firm operates across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, holding licenses in the UK, UAE, and Cyprus. It serves retail, professional, and institutional clients through its trading platforms and payment systems,

Topics
retail
MOVE
industry move
executive moves
executive move
About the Author: Tareq Sikder
Tareq Sikder
  • 2005 Articles
  • 34 Followers
A Forex technical analyst and writer who has been engaged in financial writing for 12 years.

More from the Author

Executives

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
More Videos

  • 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

  • Fail Better Trading Tech to Tackle Industry Risks

    Fail Better Trading Tech to Tackle Industry Risks

    Much like their traders in the market, brokers must diversify to manage risk and stay resilient. But that can get costly, clunky, and lengthy. This candid panel brings together builders across the trading infrastructure space to uncover the shifting dynamics behind tools, interfaces, and full-stack ambitions. Attendees will hear: -Why platform dependency has become one of the most overlooked risks in the trading business? -Buy vs. build: What do hybrid models look like, and why are industry graveyards filled with failed ‘killer apps’? -How AI is already changing execution, risk, and reporting—and what’s next? -Which features, assets, and tools gain the most traction, and where brokers should look for tech-driven retention? Speakers: -Stephen Miles, Chief Revenue Officer at FYNXT -John Morris, Co-Founder at FXBlue -Matthew Smith, Group Chair & CEO at EC Markets -Tom Higgins, Founder & CEO at Gold-i -Gil Ben Hur, Founder at 5% Group #fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #Trading #Fintech #FintechInnovation #TradingTechnology #Innovation Connect with us at: 🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events 👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents 📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official 🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events 🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official

    Much like their traders in the market, brokers must diversify to manage risk and stay resilient. But that can get costly, clunky, and lengthy. This candid panel brings together builders across the trading infrastructure space to uncover the shifting dynamics behind tools, interfaces, and full-stack ambitions. Attendees will hear: -Why platform dependency has become one of the most overlooked risks in the trading business? -Buy vs. build: What do hybrid models look like, and why are industry graveyards filled with failed ‘killer apps’? -How AI is already changing execution, risk, and reporting—and what’s next? -Which features, assets, and tools gain the most traction, and where brokers should look for tech-driven retention? Speakers: -Stephen Miles, Chief Revenue Officer at FYNXT -John Morris, Co-Founder at FXBlue -Matthew Smith, Group Chair & CEO at EC Markets -Tom Higgins, Founder & CEO at Gold-i -Gil Ben Hur, Founder at 5% Group #fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #Trading #Fintech #FintechInnovation #TradingTechnology #Innovation Connect with us at: 🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events 👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents 📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official 🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events 🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official