Finance veteran James Watson has taken on a new role - he is now the Global Head of Sales at Tradition. He was previously European Managing Director at ADS Securities in London dating back to 2014. He will continue to serve as a non-executive director at ADS Securities in addition to his new role.
Mr. Watras has worked in the financial services industry for over a decade, working in a variety of FX roles including prime brokerage, sales, and systems. Before joining CBOE, previously Bats, Mr. Watras worked at Currenex for nearly three years as Vice President of FX Sales.
His first role was at HSBC as an FX corporate analyst, extending back to 2005.
Mayra Pinzón
Mayra Pinzón and Marco F. Da Costa
Online foreign exchange and contracts for difference (CFDs) provider AvaTrade has appointed two experienced individuals to senior positions in Spain and Portugal.
Mayra Pinzón has been appointed Head of Business Development for the company’s
Marco F. Da Costa
Spanish unit. She will be based in Barcelona. According to her Linkedin profile, she previously worked as a partner of AvaTrade, introducing new clients to the company from the region. Prior to joining AvaTrade, Ms. Pinzón was an account manager at LVM Holdings.
Marco F. Da Costa has been appointed Senior Global Account Manager. He will be based in Lisbon. He comes to the firm with over 10 years of experience in the FX industry. His last role was as Head of Forex Sales (Portuguese and Spanish Markets) for MultiBank Exchange Group.
6.9
Steven Slovak and William Barry
Los Angeles-based Wedbush Securities, a provider of private and institutional brokerage services in the US, has secured the services of William Barry and Steven Slovak as managing directors at its Fixed Income Financing, Futures and Rates division.
Mr. Barry joins Wedbush Securities from Sage Trader where he served as Head of Global Business Development. Steve Slovak most recently served as Global Futures Business Development Manager at Sage Trader.
Managing Director Scott Skyrim said: “Having Bill and Steve onboard, positions Wedbush toward the future. Their extensive combined experience, in both buy and sell side, is the perfect formula to accelerate our growth with institutional clients.”
Stuart Williams and Timothy J. Bowler
Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE:ICE), a global network of exchanges and clearing houses, has announced the appointment of Stuart Williams as President of ICE Futures Europe and Timothy J. Bowler as President of ICE Benchmark Administration (IBA).
Williams will be replacing David Peniket, who has retired, and Bowler succeeds Finbarr Hutcheson.
Bowler was previously Managing Director of of the Financial Institutions Group at Goldman Sachs. Williams has been the Chief Operating Officer of ICE Futures Europe since the middle of 2016. Before that, he was the Director of Corporate Development.
Jeffrey C. Sprecher, Chairman and CEO, commented on the appointments: “We are pleased to announce these appointments, which will enable us to continue to build on our ability to grow and serve our customers."
7.9
Joanna Lawn
Joanna Lawn
NZX Ltd., the only registered securities exchange in New Zealand, has announced the appointment of Joanna Lawn as new Head of Listing. She will be based in NZX’s Auckland office.
Joanna Lawn will join NZX from ANZ, where she is currently in the position of Head of Business Management. She has over 20 years of experience in the financial market working in New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom in various senior management positions.
James Taylor
FX industry veteran James Taylor has taken on the role of Head of FX Electronic Markets Sales at BNY Mellon. He joins BNY Mellon Markets after eight years at JP Morgan, where he held a variety of interest rate and FX roles at the Wall Street bank.
BNY Mellon said in a statement: “The appointment of James Taylor as Head of FX Electronic Markets Sales is an important hire as BNY Mellon’s Markets business builds out its FX platform to better meet the ongoing needs of its global clients."
8.9
Michael Birshan
The former regional sales manager for Bloomberg has joined Symphony Communication Services as a senior account manager.
Symphony was launched in 2015 and is seen as being in a direct battle with Bloomberg with its messaging system for traders - thus, this appointment has heightened significance.
“I chose to join Symphony as I wanted to be part of something big. There was a clear gap in the market for an enterprise-wide collaboration solution which was Cloud-based and secure,” explained Mr. Birshan.
Last week saw appointments, relocations, and promotions throughout the industry.
Finance veteran James Watson has taken on a new role - he is now the Global Head of Sales at Tradition. He was previously European Managing Director at ADS Securities in London dating back to 2014. He will continue to serve as a non-executive director at ADS Securities in addition to his new role.
Mr. Watras has worked in the financial services industry for over a decade, working in a variety of FX roles including prime brokerage, sales, and systems. Before joining CBOE, previously Bats, Mr. Watras worked at Currenex for nearly three years as Vice President of FX Sales.
His first role was at HSBC as an FX corporate analyst, extending back to 2005.
Mayra Pinzón
Mayra Pinzón and Marco F. Da Costa
Online foreign exchange and contracts for difference (CFDs) provider AvaTrade has appointed two experienced individuals to senior positions in Spain and Portugal.
Mayra Pinzón has been appointed Head of Business Development for the company’s
Marco F. Da Costa
Spanish unit. She will be based in Barcelona. According to her Linkedin profile, she previously worked as a partner of AvaTrade, introducing new clients to the company from the region. Prior to joining AvaTrade, Ms. Pinzón was an account manager at LVM Holdings.
Marco F. Da Costa has been appointed Senior Global Account Manager. He will be based in Lisbon. He comes to the firm with over 10 years of experience in the FX industry. His last role was as Head of Forex Sales (Portuguese and Spanish Markets) for MultiBank Exchange Group.
6.9
Steven Slovak and William Barry
Los Angeles-based Wedbush Securities, a provider of private and institutional brokerage services in the US, has secured the services of William Barry and Steven Slovak as managing directors at its Fixed Income Financing, Futures and Rates division.
Mr. Barry joins Wedbush Securities from Sage Trader where he served as Head of Global Business Development. Steve Slovak most recently served as Global Futures Business Development Manager at Sage Trader.
Managing Director Scott Skyrim said: “Having Bill and Steve onboard, positions Wedbush toward the future. Their extensive combined experience, in both buy and sell side, is the perfect formula to accelerate our growth with institutional clients.”
Stuart Williams and Timothy J. Bowler
Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE:ICE), a global network of exchanges and clearing houses, has announced the appointment of Stuart Williams as President of ICE Futures Europe and Timothy J. Bowler as President of ICE Benchmark Administration (IBA).
Williams will be replacing David Peniket, who has retired, and Bowler succeeds Finbarr Hutcheson.
Bowler was previously Managing Director of of the Financial Institutions Group at Goldman Sachs. Williams has been the Chief Operating Officer of ICE Futures Europe since the middle of 2016. Before that, he was the Director of Corporate Development.
Jeffrey C. Sprecher, Chairman and CEO, commented on the appointments: “We are pleased to announce these appointments, which will enable us to continue to build on our ability to grow and serve our customers."
7.9
Joanna Lawn
Joanna Lawn
NZX Ltd., the only registered securities exchange in New Zealand, has announced the appointment of Joanna Lawn as new Head of Listing. She will be based in NZX’s Auckland office.
Joanna Lawn will join NZX from ANZ, where she is currently in the position of Head of Business Management. She has over 20 years of experience in the financial market working in New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom in various senior management positions.
James Taylor
FX industry veteran James Taylor has taken on the role of Head of FX Electronic Markets Sales at BNY Mellon. He joins BNY Mellon Markets after eight years at JP Morgan, where he held a variety of interest rate and FX roles at the Wall Street bank.
BNY Mellon said in a statement: “The appointment of James Taylor as Head of FX Electronic Markets Sales is an important hire as BNY Mellon’s Markets business builds out its FX platform to better meet the ongoing needs of its global clients."
8.9
Michael Birshan
The former regional sales manager for Bloomberg has joined Symphony Communication Services as a senior account manager.
Symphony was launched in 2015 and is seen as being in a direct battle with Bloomberg with its messaging system for traders - thus, this appointment has heightened significance.
“I chose to join Symphony as I wanted to be part of something big. There was a clear gap in the market for an enterprise-wide collaboration solution which was Cloud-based and secure,” explained Mr. Birshan.
Retail Broker FXTRADING Appoints Institutional Veteran Adam Phillips as CEO
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
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
Educators, IBs, And Other Regional Growth Drivers
Educators, IBs, And Other Regional Growth Drivers
When acquisition costs rise and AI generated reviews are exactly as useful as they sound, performing and fair partners can make or break brokers.
This session looks at how these players are shaping access, trust and user engagement, and what the most effective partnership models look like in 2025.
Key Themes:
- Building trader communities through education and local expertise
- Aligning broker incentives with long-term regional strategies
- Regional regulation and the realities of compliant acquisition
- What’s next for performance-driven partnerships in online trading
Speakers:
-Adam Button, Chief Currency Analyst at investingLive
-Zander Van Der Merwe, Key Individual & Head of Sales at TD Markets
-Brunno Huertas, Regional Manager – Latin America at Tickmill
-Paul Chalmers, CEO at UK Trading Academy
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #FinanceLeadership #Trading #Fintech #BrokerGrowth #FintechPartnerships #RegionalMarkets
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
When acquisition costs rise and AI generated reviews are exactly as useful as they sound, performing and fair partners can make or break brokers.
This session looks at how these players are shaping access, trust and user engagement, and what the most effective partnership models look like in 2025.
Key Themes:
- Building trader communities through education and local expertise
- Aligning broker incentives with long-term regional strategies
- Regional regulation and the realities of compliant acquisition
- What’s next for performance-driven partnerships in online trading
Speakers:
-Adam Button, Chief Currency Analyst at investingLive
-Zander Van Der Merwe, Key Individual & Head of Sales at TD Markets
-Brunno Huertas, Regional Manager – Latin America at Tickmill
-Paul Chalmers, CEO at UK Trading Academy
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #FinanceLeadership #Trading #Fintech #BrokerGrowth #FintechPartnerships #RegionalMarkets
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
The Leap to Everything App: Are Brokers There Yet?
The Leap to Everything App: Are Brokers There Yet?
As the arms race to bundle investing, personal finance, and wallets under super apps grows fiercer, brokers are caught between a rock and a hard place.
This session explores unexpected ways for industry players to collaborate as consumer habits evolve, competitors eye the traffic, and regulation becomes more nuanced.
Speakers:
-Laura McCracken,CEO | Advisory Board Member at Blackheath Advisors | The Payments Association
-Slobodan Manojlović,Vice President | Lead Software Engineer at JP Morgan Chase & Co.
-Jordan Sinclair, President at Robinhood UK
-Simon Pelletier, Head of Product at Yuh
Gerald Perez, CEO at Interactive Brokers UK
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #FinanceLeadership #Trading #Fintech #Innovation
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
As the arms race to bundle investing, personal finance, and wallets under super apps grows fiercer, brokers are caught between a rock and a hard place.
This session explores unexpected ways for industry players to collaborate as consumer habits evolve, competitors eye the traffic, and regulation becomes more nuanced.
Speakers:
-Laura McCracken,CEO | Advisory Board Member at Blackheath Advisors | The Payments Association
-Slobodan Manojlović,Vice President | Lead Software Engineer at JP Morgan Chase & Co.
-Jordan Sinclair, President at Robinhood UK
-Simon Pelletier, Head of Product at Yuh
Gerald Perez, CEO at Interactive Brokers UK
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #FinanceLeadership #Trading #Fintech #Innovation
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
Mind The Gap: Can Retail Investors Save the UK Stock Market?
Mind The Gap: Can Retail Investors Save the UK Stock Market?
As the dire state of listing and investment in the UK goes from a financial services problem to a national challenge, the retail investing industry is taken to task.
Join a host of executives and experts for a candid conversation about the future of millions of Brits, as seen from a financial services standpoint:
-Are they happy with the Leeds Reform, in principle and in practice?
-Is it the government’s job to affect the ‘saver’ mentality? Is it doing well?
-What can brokers and fintechs do to spur UK investment?
-How can the FCA balance greater flexibility with consumer protection?
Speakers:
-Adam Button, Chief Currency Analyst at investingLive
-Nicola Higgs, Partner at Latham & Watkins
-Dan Lane, Investment Content Lead at Robinhood UK
-Jack Crone, PR & Public Affairs Lead at IG
-David Belle, Founder at Fink Money
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #FinanceLeadership #Trading #Fintech #RetailInvesting #UKFinance
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
As the dire state of listing and investment in the UK goes from a financial services problem to a national challenge, the retail investing industry is taken to task.
Join a host of executives and experts for a candid conversation about the future of millions of Brits, as seen from a financial services standpoint:
-Are they happy with the Leeds Reform, in principle and in practice?
-Is it the government’s job to affect the ‘saver’ mentality? Is it doing well?
-What can brokers and fintechs do to spur UK investment?
-How can the FCA balance greater flexibility with consumer protection?
Speakers:
-Adam Button, Chief Currency Analyst at investingLive
-Nicola Higgs, Partner at Latham & Watkins
-Dan Lane, Investment Content Lead at Robinhood UK
-Jack Crone, PR & Public Affairs Lead at IG
-David Belle, Founder at Fink Money
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #FinanceLeadership #Trading #Fintech #RetailInvesting #UKFinance
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
