About a-team Marketing Services
The knowledge platform for the financial technology industry
The knowledge platform for the financial technology industry

A-Team Insight People

Duco Appoints New COO

Data automation provider Duco has appointed Anthony Northam as its new Chief Operating Officer.

Formerly group head of customer strategy and solutions at LSEG, Northam has more than 25 years of experience in the data industry and also held down senior positions at Thomson Reuters.

“Anthony’s proven track record in scaling operations and driving strategic growth at leading financial data and technology organisations will benefit Duco as we rapidly expand our footprint across the capital markets ecosystem,” said Michael Chin, Chief Executive Officer at Duco.

Kaizen Appoints Michael Leach Chief Revenue Officer

Kaizen has appointed Michael Leach as its new Chief Revenue Officer. Leach joins from the London Stock Exchange Group, where he was instrumental in building UnaVista—now LSEG Regulatory Reporting Solutions—into a global brand. As one of UnaVista’s original founders, he brings deep expertise in regulatory reporting and sales leadership. In his new role, Leach will lead Kaizen’s sales strategy and business development to drive revenue growth and support market expansion.

On taking up his new appointment, Leach commented: “I’m excited to join the Kaizen team and contribute to the company’s continued growth. I’ve seen firsthand the value and innovation the company brings to the regulatory reporting and compliance space. I look forward to working with the talented team here to accelerate our market presence and deliver exceptional value to our clients.”

Dario Crispini, CEO of Kaizen, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Mike to our executive team. His extensive background at LSEG, combined with his deep understanding of our industry and proven track record in building successful sales organisations, makes him the ideal leader to drive our revenue growth strategy. Mike’s leadership and industry expertise will be instrumental in helping us achieve our ambitious growth and market expansion goals.”

This appointment comes as Kaizen continues to broaden its presence in the regulatory compliance market.

Liquidnet Bolsters Americas Equities Franchise with Senior Hires

Liquidnet has announced a trio of senior appointments aimed at accelerating the growth of its Equities business in the Americas. The hires support the firm’s strategy to broaden its regional presence, diversify trading capabilities, and strengthen client relationships.

Mark Turner joins as Co-Head of Equities Sales and Trading for the Americas, bringing 30 years of industry experience, including a senior role at Instinet. Hillary Budds takes on the role of Head of US Crossing, leveraging her background in block trading and venue development. David Ramirez also joins as a senior member of the High-Touch/Program Trading team, recognised for his revenue performance at Instinet. These appointments mark a significant step in Liquidnet’s commitment to expanding its equities franchise.

Broadridge Appoints Kenneth MacHarg as Global Head of Futures and Options Trading

Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. has named Kenneth MacHarg as Managing Director and Global Head of Futures and Options (F&O) Trading, effective 23 June. In his new role, MacHarg will oversee the commercial strategy and development of Broadridge’s next-generation F&O platform, a SaaS solution offering global order and execution management for futures commission merchants and agency brokers.

MacHarg brings extensive experience in execution and clearing of global futures and options, having most recently served as Managing Director at J.P. Morgan Securities. His previous roles include senior positions at Barclays Capital and Lehman Brothers. Based in New York, MacHarg will report to Frank Troise, President of Broadridge Trading & Connectivity Solutions.

Validus Risk Management Appoints Daniel Johnson as Chief Technology Officer

Validus Risk Management has named Daniel Johnson as its new Chief Technology Officer (CTO), furthering its commitment to technology-driven growth. Based in London and reporting directly to CEO Kevin Lester, Johnson will be responsible for shaping and executing the company’s technology strategy during a phase of international expansion and product development.

Johnson brings over 15 years of experience in technology leadership roles, most recently serving as Chief Digital Platforms Officer at Hargreaves Lansdown. His background includes CTO positions at several software companies, where he focused on scaling operations and enhancing efficiency. This appointment follows a $45 million growth equity investment from FTV Capital in February 2025, which is aimed at supporting Validus’s expansion across APAC, US, and European markets, and fuelling innovation in its technology and product offerings.

Validus’s CTO Hire Signals Push for Scalable, Integrated Risk Solutions

Validus Risk Management is deepening its technical leadership as it extends its footprint across Asia, Europe and North America. In June 2025 the firm appointed Daniel Johnson as Chief Technology Officer, charging him with shaping a unified technology strategy to support rapid scale-up and feature development. This move follows a $45 million growth equity injection from FTV Capital in February, earmarked for go-to-market acceleration and bolstering product innovation across Validus’s risk-management platform.

Daniel Johnson joins from Hargreaves Lansdown, where he spent four years as Chief Digital Platforms Officer, and brings over 15 years of experience guiding both fast-growing software businesses and established online platforms toward greater efficiency and resilience. “I’m delighted to be joining Validus at such an exciting time for the business. I look forward to working with the team to continue driving product innovation and leading the firm’s ongoing development from a technology perspective,” he said.

Analysts observe that leaders with a track record in digital-platform scale-up can shorten development cycles and improve system robustness—capabilities especially valuable as financial-services firms demand more integrated, cloud-native risk tools. Alongside Daniel’s arrival, Validus has opened a new office in Singapore and named Shawn Koh as Head of Asia Client Coverage, underscoring its commitment to on-the-ground support amid rising compliance and market-risk requirements in the APAC region.

LSEG Appoints Nick Rustad as Group Head of LCH SwapClear and Listed Rates

The London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) has announced the appointment of Nick Rustad as the new Group Head of LCH SwapClear and Listed Rates. In his new role, Rustad will be responsible for overseeing performance and growth across these clearing services, while maintaining their operational resilience. He will report to Susi de Verdelon, CEO of LCH Limited, and will join her leadership team.

Rustad brings extensive industry experience, including over two decades at JPMorgan, where he led the Global Futures and Derivatives Clearing business. Most recently, he served as Deputy Chief Operating Officer at Taula Capital Management. His previous roles also include a term as chairman of the FIA Board of Directors and a stint as a non-executive Director at LCH Limited.

SimCorp Names New Chief Commercial Officer

SimCorp former director of strategy Dean McIntyre has been named the investment management software provider’s chief commercial officer, the third senior appointment this year.

McIntyre will be responsible for instigating international initiatives on data and operations, as well as within the frontline commercial and marketing teams.

After holding senior positions at companies including Bloomberg, Schroders and FactSet, he joined SimCorp in 2023. In April, Ronan Donnelly was promoted to chief operations officer and in February Keith Haberlin was named global head of business services, sales.

DTCC Appoints New Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)

The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) has appointed Laura Deaner as its new Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). Deaner, who will report directly to Chief Information Officer Lynn Bishop, brings over 25 years of experience managing information security and cybersecurity programs.

In her new role, Deaner will oversee DTCC’s comprehensive cybersecurity strategies designed to protect the organization’s information and technology systems. Her responsibilities will include developing and enhancing DTCC’s cybersecurity frameworks, integrating cyber resilience into strategic initiatives such as technology upgrades, AI-driven innovations, and cloud technology adoption.

Deaner previously held senior cybersecurity roles at Northwestern Mutual and S&P Global, and earlier at PR Newswire, where she successfully implemented large-scale cybersecurity transformations. Her approach has consistently involved adopting innovative security practices and architectures, significantly advancing cybersecurity maturity within her organizations. Her extensive financial industry experience also includes roles at Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan Chase, and Citigroup.

She currently serves on the Financial Services Information Sharing Analysis Centre (FS-ISAC) board and is a member of the NYU Tandon Cyber Fellows Advisory Council.

Bishop emphasized that Deaner’s extensive experience would be integral as DTCC enhances its cybersecurity strategies. “As we continue to strengthen our technology infrastructure to protect against cyber-threats, Laura’s expertise and leadership will enable us to drive a more holistic program to further upgrade our defence capabilities,” Bishop said.

Commenting on her appointment, Deaner highlighted the critical role DTCC plays in maintaining the security and stability of global financial markets. “DTCC plays a vital role in safeguarding the global financial system, and I’m proud to contribute to that mission by advancing a resilient, adaptive and risk-aligned cybersecurity posture,” Deaner said. “This work is deeply collaborative, and I’m looking forward to partnering closely across teams to protect what matters most: trust, stability and market integrity.”

SimCorp Appoints Dean McIntyre as Chief Commercial Officer

SimCorp, the global financial technology subsidiary of Deutsche Börse Group, has promoted Dean McIntyre to Chief Commercial Officer, effective immediately. In his new role, McIntyre will oversee global commercial operations, including data and operations management, frontline commercial teams, and marketing, to enhance support for client-facing teams worldwide. He will continue to report to Chief Revenue Officer Oliver Johnson.

McIntyre joined SimCorp in January 2023 as Director of Strategy and later served as Global Head of Commercial. His career includes senior positions at Bloomberg, FactSet, Northern Trust, Schroders, and UBS Global Asset Management. This appointment follows a series of leadership promotions at SimCorp in 2025, with Ronan Donnelly becoming Chief Operations Officer in April and Keith Haberlin named Global Head of Business Services, Sales in February.