Tokenovate Taps L’Heveder as CRO

Post-trade settlement specialist Tokenovate has hired William L’Heveder as its Chief Revenue Officer. He brings more than a decade of experience across capital markets, strategy and commercial leadership, with over seven years at BMLL, a provider of historical market data and analytics. He also worked as Boston Consulting Group and as a derivatives trader.

His appointment comes as Tokenovate continues to build traction around Novat, its programmable settlement protocol for tokenised assets. Novat combines digital legal agreements, the FINOS Common Domain Model (CDM) and programmable settlement to automate complex post-trade processes, streamline operations and improve liquidity efficiency in the global capital markets.

Crypto Advocate Hester Peirce Departs SEC for Academia

Hester Peirce has left her Commissioner role at the US Securities & Exchange Commission after an eight-year tenure. During her time at the regulator she consistently advocated for rules and positions that encouraged the advancement of crypto and digital assets.

Peirce also oversaw the SEC’s Crypto Task Force since January 2025, during which time the SEC introduced several rules that provide directions and guidelines for financial markets participants looking to embrace digital assets and tokenisation.

In November, Peirce will join Regent University School of Law as an Associate Professor.

Broadridge Recruits Golden as Head of Tokenised Product

Broadridge Financial Solutions announced the appointment of Theo Golden, CFA, as Head of Tokenised Product, International, a newly created role. Golden will lead tokenised product development across Broadridge’s international markets, helping global clients adopt compliant, interoperable digital asset solutions at scale.

Based in London, Golden will focus on designing, building and bringing to market tokenised products across capital markets, funds and tokenised assets. He will also support Corporate Development with mergers and acquisitions and strategic venture investment activity in digital assets.

“I am excited to join Broadridge at a pivotal time for tokenisation,” says Theo Golden, Head of Tokenised Product, International, Broadridge. “Global markets are moving quickly as frameworks for tokenised funds and securities evolve. Broadridge is exceptionally well positioned to deliver the trusted, resilient and interoperable infrastructure clients need to move from experimentation to real-world adoption. I look forward to helping build solutions that address tangible client needs and unlock the promise of global, 24/7 market rails.”

Golden joins Broadridge from Baillie Gifford, where he served as Head of Digital Assets and built the firm’s digital asset capability from the ground up. He designed its digital asset strategy, operating model and key external relationships, and launched Baillie Gifford Enhanced Yield (BAGEY), the United Kingdom’s first fully native tokenised fund. Issued on Ethereum and Solana, BAGEY uses on-chain books and records as the legal source of truth while maintaining investor protections, governance and ownership rights.

Tokenovate Appoints William L’Heveder as Chief Revenue Officer

Tokenovate has appointed former BMLL executive William L’Heveder as Chief Revenue Officer, with responsibility for expanding the company’s commercial pipeline and driving institutional adoption of its post-trade and programmable settlement technology.

L’Heveder spent more than seven years at BMLL, where he helped scale the historical market data and analytics provider through to its acquisition in 2025. He previously worked at Boston Consulting Group and as a derivatives trader.

His appointment comes as Tokenovate builds commercial momentum around Novat, its programmable settlement protocol for tokenised assets. The platform combines digital legal agreements, the FINOS Common Domain Model and programmable settlement to automate post-trade processes.

L’Heveder will focus on developing new client opportunities and strategic relationships as Tokenovate targets broader institutional adoption.

Connamara Technologies Promotes Daniel Davis to President

Connamara Technologies has promoted Daniel J. Davis to President as the trading infrastructure provider targets further expansion across new markets, geographies and asset classes.

Davis was previously Chief Revenue Officer and has been with Connamara since 2022, initially joining as Head of Growth. He has played a central role in developing the company’s commercial strategy and expanding adoption of its EP3 marketplace infrastructure platform. EP3 combines exchange, clearing and market surveillance capabilities within a single platform and is being used across markets including prediction markets, perpetual futures, compute, tokenised assets and cryptocurrencies.

In his new role, Davis will work alongside co-founders Jim and Maureen Downs and the wider leadership team, with a focus on expanding EP3’s reach, growing Connamara’s team and aligning its commercial strategy with product development.

Before joining Connamara, Davis held development and strategy roles at PIMCO, Dimensional Fund Advisors and WorkTango.

Valstro Appoints Chris Valpone as Head of Sales

Valstro has appointed Chris Valpone as Head of Sales as the cloud-native order management system provider expands its US operations and moves into its next phase of commercial growth.

Valpone joins from Quod Financial, where he served as Head of Sales for the Americas. He brings 25 years of financial services experience, including senior sales roles at Fidessa, where he was Head of Sales for the Americas before becoming Global Head of Sales for Fidessa and other capital markets businesses within ION Markets following ION’s acquisition of Fidessa.

The appointment follows several years of investment by Valstro in building, launching and commercialising its OMS platform. The company is expanding its US-based team to support product development and a growing client base.

Valstro’s cloud-native platform provides connectivity to buy-side firms, global brokers and market data, with the company targeting greater automation and flexibility across institutional trading workflows.

DTCC Appoints Samir Pandiri as Chief Client Officer

DTCC has appointed Samir Pandiri as Managing Director and Chief Client Officer, joining the company’s Executive Committee and reporting to President and CEO Frank LaSalla. Pandiri will oversee DTCC’s Global Client Management organisation, including client leads, relationship management and growth, partnerships and strategic alliances. His remit also covers DTCC Consulting Services and Marketing & Communications, with responsibility for developing client and stakeholder relationships across the business.

He brings more than 30 years of financial services experience spanning post-trade infrastructure, asset servicing, fund administration, capital markets, fintech, wealth management and trustee services.

Pandiri joins DTCC following senior leadership roles at TMF Group, Apex Group, Broadridge International and BNY. He has led teams across the Americas, EMEA and Asia-Pacific during his career, including more than 15 years working in Hong Kong and London.

Trading Technologies Names Maxime Jeanniard du Dot to Lead Margin Business

Trading Technologies (TT) has promoted Maxime Jeanniard du Dot to EVP, Margin Analytics, giving him responsibility for the TT Margin business created following the company’s acquisition of OpenGamma in December.

Jeanniard du Dot spent 10 years as Chief Operating Officer of OpenGamma before its acquisition by TT. The firm’s margin analytics technology is used by hedge funds, asset managers, commodity trading firms and banks to manage capital and margin requirements. Under Jeanniard du Dot, TT plans to expand the business into cross-asset margin optimisation as clients increasingly trade across multiple asset classes and seek greater visibility into margin requirements and capital usage.

Before joining OpenGamma, Jeanniard du Dot was Trading Platform Owner for HSBC’s cleared OTC derivatives business in London. He previously worked as a Market Specialist at Calypso Technology and as an analyst at Accenture.

Apex Group Taps Ouaknine as Global Head of Digital Markets Infrastructure & Wealth Distribution

Apex Group has appointed Jørgen Ouaknine as Global Head of Digital Markets Infrastructure & Wealth Distribution. Based in New York City and reporting to Georges Archibald, CEO of Apex Distribution Ouaknine will oversee the firm’s strategy across digital markets infrastructure and wealth distribution. In this role, he focuses on expanding relationships with digital exchanges, financial market infrastructures, and intermediaries to connect fund managers with new distribution channels and capital sources, while supporting Apex’s capabilities in digital assets and tokenisation.

Ouaknine joins Apex from Euroclear, where he most recently served as Global Head of Innovation & Digital Assets and Head of Products Americas. During his tenure at Euroclear, he established the company’s digital assets practice and led the launch of its initial digital market infrastructure. His professional background also includes several senior leadership positions at BNP Paribas focusing on strategy, transformation, and digital innovation.

“Capital markets are moving toward a more connected model, where infrastructure, distribution and access to capital increasingly converge,” says Ouaknine. “Apex Group is uniquely positioned at that intersection, with capabilities spanning distribution, technology and operations. I’m very excited to join the team and work with clients and partners to open new distribution channels, connect investment opportunities with new pools of capital and help build the market infrastructure needed to support them at scale.”

Broadridge Appoints Alex Duggan to Lead International BPO Growth

Broadridge Financial Solutions has appointed Alex Duggan as Head of BPO International, with responsibility for expanding its business process outsourcing operations across EMEA and Asia-Pacific. Duggan will also oversee the continued development of Broadridge’s Glasgow hub, which the company is positioning as a strategic UK centre for client service, operational innovation and technology-led delivery.

The Glasgow operation supports a global investment bank as an anchor client and is intended to provide scalable UK and European delivery capabilities as financial institutions seek greater operational resilience, geographic diversification and access to specialist talent.

Duggan brings 30 years of experience across investment banking operations, business transformation and commercial leadership. He joins Broadridge from Cognizant, where he was Capital Markets Business Unit Head in London, overseeing commercial strategy, go-to-market activities and service delivery. His previous work included helping capital markets firms modernise operating models and improve efficiency through technology and data-driven transformation.