The Polish broker may face a leadership gap following the departure of Tomasz Gawron for a research role.
His exit highlights the broader industry's struggle to retain artificial intelligence expertise, including giants like HSBC and Goldman Sachs.
Tomasz Gawron, the former Head of AI at XTB
Polish
retail broker XTB has lost its head of artificial intelligence after Tomasz
Gawron left last month to join a government-backed research institute,
marking another high-profile departure in the competitive race for AI talent.
Gawron
announced his departure from XTB in late August after nearly two years leading
the broker's AI research and development team. The automation expert, who holds
a PhD in Automation and Robotics, has taken a position as Head of AI
Development Section at Łukasiewicz – Poznań Institute of Technology, a state
research organization.
XTB AI Head Departure Caps
Two-Year Technology Push
The
executive's exit comes after XTB invested heavily in building its AI
capabilities from scratch. Gawron
joined the Warsaw-listed company in October 2023 to launch a dedicated AI
division focused on what the broker called “responsible adoption” of
artificial intelligence across its trading platforms and business operations.
“After
2 years of work in a fast-paced environment with lots of challenges, I have
decided to move on to new opportunities,” Gawron wrote in a LinkedIn post
announcing his departure. “We were successful in our AI adoption and built
an AI RnD team from the ground up.”
The AI team
developed solutions ranging from customer support automation to data analysis
tools designed to improve trading experiences for XTB's retail clients across
multiple markets.
Industry Brain Drain
Accelerates
Gawron's
departure highlights broader challenges facing financial services companies
trying to retain specialized AI talent. For example, HSBC lost its head of
artificial intelligence for markets and securities services, Ash Booth. Goldman
Sachs has been particularly hard hit, experiencing a net outflow of 60 AI
professionals.
OpenAI,
while not a traditional financial firm, has seen massive talent exodus that
affects the broader AI ecosystem. The company lost key executives including CTO
Mira Murati, Chief Research Officer Bob McGrew, and VP of Research Barret Zoph.
This brain drain has benefited competitors like Google DeepMind and Meta, which
are offering signing bonuses up to $100 million to lure top AI talent.
Gawron had
no prior experience in financial services before joining XTB, having previously
worked in academic research and technology consulting roles. His return to the
research sector reflects a pattern where AI specialists move between industries
as demand for their expertise outpaces supply. The Poznań-based institute where
Gawron now works focuses on industrial technology development and innovation.
Technical Team Remains
Vulnerable
The broker
has not announced Gawron's replacement or detailed plans for maintaining
momentum in its AI initiatives. His departure leaves behind a team of nine AI
specialists who worked on projects ranging from automated trading tools to
customer onboarding improvements.
Adam Dubiel, Chief Product & Technology Officer at XTB
XTB's Chief
Product & Technology Officer Adam
Dubiel had previously emphasized the importance of AI to the company's
strategy, telling FinanceMagnates.com that artificial intelligence would help
“democratize access to data and personalize user experience” for the
broker's global customer base.
XTB employs
over 1,000 people globally, with more
than 40% working in technical roles including programming and IT
development. The company serves retail traders across Europe and has expanded
its AI efforts as part of broader technology investments aimed at competing
with larger international brokers.
Polish
retail broker XTB has lost its head of artificial intelligence after Tomasz
Gawron left last month to join a government-backed research institute,
marking another high-profile departure in the competitive race for AI talent.
Gawron
announced his departure from XTB in late August after nearly two years leading
the broker's AI research and development team. The automation expert, who holds
a PhD in Automation and Robotics, has taken a position as Head of AI
Development Section at Łukasiewicz – Poznań Institute of Technology, a state
research organization.
XTB AI Head Departure Caps
Two-Year Technology Push
The
executive's exit comes after XTB invested heavily in building its AI
capabilities from scratch. Gawron
joined the Warsaw-listed company in October 2023 to launch a dedicated AI
division focused on what the broker called “responsible adoption” of
artificial intelligence across its trading platforms and business operations.
“After
2 years of work in a fast-paced environment with lots of challenges, I have
decided to move on to new opportunities,” Gawron wrote in a LinkedIn post
announcing his departure. “We were successful in our AI adoption and built
an AI RnD team from the ground up.”
The AI team
developed solutions ranging from customer support automation to data analysis
tools designed to improve trading experiences for XTB's retail clients across
multiple markets.
Industry Brain Drain
Accelerates
Gawron's
departure highlights broader challenges facing financial services companies
trying to retain specialized AI talent. For example, HSBC lost its head of
artificial intelligence for markets and securities services, Ash Booth. Goldman
Sachs has been particularly hard hit, experiencing a net outflow of 60 AI
professionals.
OpenAI,
while not a traditional financial firm, has seen massive talent exodus that
affects the broader AI ecosystem. The company lost key executives including CTO
Mira Murati, Chief Research Officer Bob McGrew, and VP of Research Barret Zoph.
This brain drain has benefited competitors like Google DeepMind and Meta, which
are offering signing bonuses up to $100 million to lure top AI talent.
Gawron had
no prior experience in financial services before joining XTB, having previously
worked in academic research and technology consulting roles. His return to the
research sector reflects a pattern where AI specialists move between industries
as demand for their expertise outpaces supply. The Poznań-based institute where
Gawron now works focuses on industrial technology development and innovation.
Technical Team Remains
Vulnerable
The broker
has not announced Gawron's replacement or detailed plans for maintaining
momentum in its AI initiatives. His departure leaves behind a team of nine AI
specialists who worked on projects ranging from automated trading tools to
customer onboarding improvements.
Adam Dubiel, Chief Product & Technology Officer at XTB
XTB's Chief
Product & Technology Officer Adam
Dubiel had previously emphasized the importance of AI to the company's
strategy, telling FinanceMagnates.com that artificial intelligence would help
“democratize access to data and personalize user experience” for the
broker's global customer base.
XTB employs
over 1,000 people globally, with more
than 40% working in technical roles including programming and IT
development. The company serves retail traders across Europe and has expanded
its AI efforts as part of broader technology investments aimed at competing
with larger international brokers.
Damian's adventure with financial markets began at the Cracow University of Economics, where he obtained his MA in finance and accounting. Starting from the retail trader perspective, he collaborated with brokerage houses and financial portals in Poland as an independent editor and content manager. His adventure with Finance Magnates began in 2016, where he is working as a business intelligence analyst.
Bank of London Product Head: “Clients Don’t Want to Wait for Cutoff Times” On-Chain
Executive Interview | Charlotte Bullock | Chief Product Officer, Bank of London | FMLS:25
Executive Interview | Charlotte Bullock | Chief Product Officer, Bank of London | FMLS:25
In this interview, we sat down with Charlotte Bullock, Head of Product at The Bank of London, previously at SAP and now shaping product at one of the sector’s most ambitious new banking players.
Charlotte reflects on the Summit so far and talks about the culture inside fintech banks today. We look at the pressures that come with scaling, and how firms can hold onto the nimble approach that made them stand out early on.
We also cover the state of payments ahead of her appearance on the payments roundtable: the blockages financial firms face, the areas that still need fixing, and what a realistic solution looks like in 2026.
In this interview, we sat down with Charlotte Bullock, Head of Product at The Bank of London, previously at SAP and now shaping product at one of the sector’s most ambitious new banking players.
Charlotte reflects on the Summit so far and talks about the culture inside fintech banks today. We look at the pressures that come with scaling, and how firms can hold onto the nimble approach that made them stand out early on.
We also cover the state of payments ahead of her appearance on the payments roundtable: the blockages financial firms face, the areas that still need fixing, and what a realistic solution looks like in 2026.
In this conversation, we sit down with Drew Niv, CSO at ATFX Connect and one of the most influential figures in modern FX.
We speak about market structure, the institutional view on liquidity, and the sharp rise of prop trading, a sector Drew has been commenting on in recent months. Drew explains why he once dismissed prop trading, why his view changed, and what he now thinks the model means for brokers, clients and risk managers.
We explore subscription-fee dependency, the high reneging rate, and the long-term challenge: how brokers can build a more stable and honest version of the model. Drew also talks about the traffic advantage standalone prop firms have built and why brokers may still win in the long run if they take the right approach.
In this conversation, we sit down with Drew Niv, CSO at ATFX Connect and one of the most influential figures in modern FX.
We speak about market structure, the institutional view on liquidity, and the sharp rise of prop trading, a sector Drew has been commenting on in recent months. Drew explains why he once dismissed prop trading, why his view changed, and what he now thinks the model means for brokers, clients and risk managers.
We explore subscription-fee dependency, the high reneging rate, and the long-term challenge: how brokers can build a more stable and honest version of the model. Drew also talks about the traffic advantage standalone prop firms have built and why brokers may still win in the long run if they take the right approach.
Executive Interview | Remonda Z. Kirketerp Møller| CEO & Founder Muinmos | FMLS:25
Executive Interview | Remonda Z. Kirketerp Møller| CEO & Founder Muinmos | FMLS:25
In this interview, Remonda Z. Kirketerp Møller, founder of Muinmos, breaks down the state of AI in regtech and what responsible adoption really looks like for brokers. We talk about rising fragmentation, the pressures around compliance accuracy, and why most firms are still in the early stages of AI maturity.
Ramanda also shares insights on regulator sandboxes, shifting expectations around accountability, and the current reality of MiCA licensing and passporting in Europe.
A concise look at where compliance, onboarding, and AI-driven processes are heading next.
In this interview, Remonda Z. Kirketerp Møller, founder of Muinmos, breaks down the state of AI in regtech and what responsible adoption really looks like for brokers. We talk about rising fragmentation, the pressures around compliance accuracy, and why most firms are still in the early stages of AI maturity.
Ramanda also shares insights on regulator sandboxes, shifting expectations around accountability, and the current reality of MiCA licensing and passporting in Europe.
A concise look at where compliance, onboarding, and AI-driven processes are heading next.
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
