Tom Edwards Named Exec. Chair at Ubisecure

Ubisecure has named veteran fintech executive Tom Edwards as its new Executive Chair, a move designed to sharpen the company’s focus on RegTech, digital identity and global compliance services. The appointment takes effect immediately, positioning Edwards to steer Ubisecure’s strategic growth and deepen ties with banks, institutions and technology partners worldwide .

Drawing on his experience scaling CubeLogic where he doubled both revenue and the customer base as CEO, Edwards will work alongside Ubisecure’s leadership to streamline operations and accelerate go to market initiatives. His remit spans corporate strategy, operational excellence and enterprise sales execution, all within industries bound by strict regulatory demands.

“I’m excited to join Ubisecure at a pivotal moment of growth,” Edwards said. “Managing the opportunities presented in the RegTech market by Digital Identity, both Individual and Organisational, is essential in today’s landscape of expanding regulation, national identity initiatives, and ever rising fraud, especially in cross border transactions. The company is uniquely positioned to address some of the most pressing market challenges by enabling digital identity, to ensure regulatory compliance and foster digital trust.”

Ubisecure is already the world’s largest issuer of Legal Entity Identifiers (LEIs) via its RapidLEI service and a leading European provider of digital identity solutions. Over the past year, the firm onboarded major global banks as validation agents for the Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF), reinforcing its role in the wider digital identity ecosystem.

Board Director Paul Tourret noted that Edwards’s operational insight will be “instrumental as we build on our position as the global number one accredited LEI Issuer and continue delivering mission critical Digital Identity enterprise solutions to the world’s most regulated industries.” Octopus Ventures partner and Ubisecure Non-Executive Director Paul Davidson added that Edwards’s track record “makes him the perfect addition” to drive the next phase of growth.

With compliance obligations growing ever more complex, and fraud risks rising in cross-border commerce, Ubisecure’s enhanced leadership line-up aims to meet market demand for robust, technology first identity and compliance platforms. The company’s suite of RegTech offerings helps enterprises simplify governance, reduce risk and stay ahead of evolving global regulations.

Gresham Names New Sales Director for Asian Growth Focus

Gresham has appointed Haley Zhu as sales director for the Asia-Pacific, where she will help lead growth in a region that is a strategic focus for the enterprise data automation technology provider amid greater regulatory complexity.

Zhu has worked for more than 15 years in FinTech on sell-side and buy-side platforms, enterprise data and regulatory technologies, Gresham said.

Napier AI Appoints Kenneth Paqvalén as Chief Financial Officer

Napier AI has appointed Kenneth Paqvalén as Chief Financial Officer as the RegTech firm prepares for its next phase of international growth. His arrival follows the company’s recent acquisition by private equity firm Marlin Equity Partners, a move that signals increased momentum behind Napier AI’s push to scale its anti-money laundering (AML) technology across global markets.

Paqvalén brings over two decades of financial leadership experience, including senior roles at Nokia, MariaDB, and most recently as CFO at Matillion. During his three-year tenure at Matillion, he played a key role in growing the business from $150 million to $1.5 billion. His background includes embedding scalable financial systems and leading high-growth companies through complex international expansions.

At Napier AI, his focus will be on building financial infrastructure to support sustained growth. This includes reinforcing existing systems to help scale the company’s core platform—Napier AI Continuum—as demand for financial crime prevention technology continues to rise.

Expansion into the US and Asia-Pacific regions is a key part of that strategy. Paqvalén will lead efforts to strengthen Napier AI’s presence in these markets by building local teams and ensuring operational readiness to support a broader customer base.

In discussing his new role, Paqvalén said: “What drew me to Napier AI was the opportunity to contribute to something that has real ethical weight. Financial crime is a complex and ever-evolving challenge and being able to play even a small part in tackling it feels genuinely meaningful. It’s an exciting time to be joining the company and I’m very much looking forward to what’s ahead.”

He added: “For companies like Napier AI, while the sophistication of criminals in their use of AI continues to become more innovative, this rapidly evolving issue provides huge opportunity for businesses to address demand and make significant strides to preventing financial crime.”

The backing from Marlin Equity Partners is expected to accelerate platform development and support a more global operating model. Marlin is known for its collaborative approach and long-term investment philosophy, particularly in software and data-driven businesses.

Napier AI CEO Greg Watson noted: “We are thrilled to welcome Kenneth on board as our new CFO at such a pivotal moment in Napier’s journey. His expertise will be key as we continue to scale operations, strengthen our financial foundations and continue investing in the evolution of our platform. With global expansion already underway, his leadership will ensure we continue to grow in a sustainable and strategic way and his deep financial acumen will undoubtedly make him an invaluable addition to our leadership team as we navigate this next stage of growth.”

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.