Funds-Axis Strengthens Operations as It Scales Internationally

Global investment manager RegTech provider Funds-Axis has appointed Chris Machin as Chief Operating Officer, a move that signals a shift from build-phase momentum to operational scale. The London-based regulatory technology and investment compliance specialist is positioning itself for disciplined international growth, with Machin tasked to lead the operational architecture behind that expansion.

The firm describes the appointment as part of its next phase of global development. Machin brings experience in scaling high-growth technology businesses and structuring delivery frameworks within regulated environments. His remit spans operational strategy, client delivery, platform scalability and organisational development — areas that become critical as RegTech providers move from product-market fit to repeatable cross-border execution.

Chief Executive Officer Darren Burrows framed the hire in the context of execution. “Chris joins us at a pivotal moment,” he said. “We have assembled a great team and built a leading technology platform in Galaxy which has proven its value with clients across our key product modules. Our focus now is disciplined growth and execution – expanding internationally and continuing to deliver market-leading regulatory solutions. Chris brings the operational leadership to further strengthen our leadership team and support our ambition – I am delighted to welcome him on board”.

The reference to Galaxy is notable. Funds-Axis has built its proposition around integrating regulatory intelligence, workflow and technology into a unified compliance platform. As regulatory obligations expand across jurisdictions, operational resilience and scalable delivery models become differentiators as much as product functionality.

Machin’s own remarks suggest continuity rather than reinvention. “Funds-Axis has a clear vision, strong values, and a commitment to excellence. I am excited to join at such a pivotal time in its growth. Funds-Axis has successfully combined regulatory intelligence, robust technology and operational workflow into the Galaxy solution. I look forward to working with the team to scale the business, deepen client and partner relationships and drive global, sustainable growth”.

In practical terms, this signals a focus on institutionalising growth: formalising processes, strengthening governance, and ensuring that client delivery models remain robust as the firm expands into new markets. For RegTech vendors operating in investment compliance, scaling is not only about acquiring clients; it requires maintaining regulatory credibility, auditability and service consistency across jurisdictions.

The appointment therefore reflects a broader pattern across the RegTech sector. As firms mature, operational leadership becomes central to sustaining credibility with global asset managers and regulated institutions. The combination of regulatory domain expertise with disciplined operational execution is increasingly expected, particularly where solutions support core compliance workflows.

Funds-Axis positions the move as reinforcing its commitment to “building institutional-grade solutions – combining regulatory expertise, scalable technology, and operational excellence to solve increasing global regulatory compliance requirements.” Read in context, that commitment translates into a governance and delivery challenge: ensuring that product innovation is matched by operational control.

For Funds-Axis, the arrival of a COO at this stage suggests that the next phase is less about launch announcements and more about structured expansion — embedding process, scaling responsibly and aligning platform growth with the operational demands of a global client base.

UK Appoints Barclays Policy Chief Katharine Braddick as Banking Watchdog

Katharine Braddick will succeed Sam Woods when his term concludes in June 2026 as the next Deputy Governor for Prudential Regulation and Chief Executive of the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA). The role carries direct responsibility for supervising banks, building societies, insurers and major investment firms. The role is also charged with shaping how prudential standards evolve in a more explicitly growth-oriented policy climate.

Braddick arrives from Barclays, where she serves as Group Head of Strategic Policy and senior adviser to the CEO. Her background spans both the private sector and senior public service, including time at HM Treasury as Director of Financial Services with responsibility for international and European dossiers. That combination—City practitioner and policy architect—is likely to shape expectations of how the PRA balances resilience with competitiveness.

The appointment signals that regulators are expected to be “robust on resilience and ambitious on growth”, reflecting Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s remit to support investment, lending and innovation while maintaining standards. In practice, this builds on a series of measures already advanced by the PRA including the removal of 37 reporting templates — a change projected to save firms around £26 million annually.

Chancellor Reeves described Braddick as “an accomplished pro-business leader with the experience to keep our financial system safe while backing the investment and lending that drives growth,”  adding that “She understands the City and regulation and will help ensure the UK remains one of the best places in the world to do business.” Reeves also acknowledged Woods’ tenure, stating: “I want to thank Sam Woods for his dedicated service and the strength he has brought to the UK’s prudential regime. Katharine will build on that record—keeping standards high while driving a competitive, growth-focused approach to regulation.”

Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey struck a similar tone, saying: “I am very happy to welcome Katharine Braddick back to the Bank as Deputy Governor for Prudential Regulation.” He noted that “Katharine has vast experience both in the public and private sectors, and I am confident that she will lead the PRA with great ambition and skill, maintaining strong regulatory foundations to underpin a growing financial sector and a thriving economy.” He also thanked Woods “for his many years of hard work at the PRA”.

Braddick will take up the role on 1 July for a five-year term. As Deputy Governor for Prudential Regulation, she will sit on the Prudential Regulation Committee, the Financial Policy Committee and the Court of the Bank of England, positioning her at the centre of both micro-prudential supervision and macro-prudential policy deliberation.

Leadership Change at OneTrust Signals Next Phase of AI-Ready Governance Strategy

Atlanta based regulatory solutions company OneTrust has appointed John Heyman as chief executive officer, marking a leadership transition as the company positions itself for its next phase of growth in data and AI governance. Founder Kabir Barday will remain involved in a strategic advisory capacity through his role on the board.

The change follows what the company describes as strong performance in the fiscal year ended January 31, 2026, and comes as demand rises for governance frameworks that can support enterprise AI adoption. As Barday noted, “Growing adoption of AI across organizations has led to massive demand for OneTrust solutions that help enable the responsible use of data and AI.” He characterised the moment as a turning point for the business, adding: “This is a pivotal time to bring on a new CEO who can harness this momentum and drive OneTrust’s next chapter of growth.”

Heyman steps into the role with prior CEO experience at Radiant Systems and Snap One, where he led both companies through periods of expansion and public listings. His mandate at OneTrust centres on scaling what it terms its AI-Ready Governance platform at a time when enterprises are reassessing how data management, privacy, and AI oversight intersect. “It’s rare to come across an opportunity like OneTrust–a company that has built a strong foundation, achieved scale, and positioned itself to define one of the most important emerging markets with AI-Ready Governance,” Heyman said. He added that “OneTrust’s mission to enable innovation through the responsible use of data and AI has never been more critical.”

The broader context is a market in which AI governance is moving from policy discussion to operational requirement. Organisations are under pressure to demonstrate accountability, transparency and control over AI-enabled processes, particularly as regulatory scrutiny intensifies across jurisdictions. In that environment, platforms that combine data governance, privacy management and AI oversight are becoming embedded in core risk and compliance architectures.

Board member Thomas Laffont, co-founder of Coatue, framed the opportunity in infrastructure terms: “AI has created a once-in-a-generation opportunity for OneTrust to become mission-critical infrastructure – the governance layer every organization needs for data and AI. We are proud to continue to be a significant investor in the company through this evolution.” He added that “John’s experience innovating, transforming, and driving company growth at pivotal market moments positions OneTrust well to execute on the opportunity ahead.”

The transition signals continuity in strategy, with Barday remaining engaged at board level, but also an intent to operationalise growth around AI governance at scale. For customers, the focus remains on enabling innovation while maintaining control over data and AI risk – an agenda that is becoming central to enterprise technology strategy.

Kaizen RegTech Group Refines Leadership Roles to Support Continued Growth

Kaizen RegTech Group has adjusted leadership responsibilities within its existing structure as the business scales across regulatory reporting and related services. Dario Crispini remains Group Chief Executive Officer, retaining responsibility for overall strategy and growth, while continuing to lead regulatory reporting product development and innovation and staying closely engaged with clients and market initiatives.

As part of the changes, Michael Leach has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Kaizen Reporting, the group’s core regulatory reporting business. The shift reflects a clearer separation between group-level strategy and the day-to-day leadership of the reporting business as it enters its next phase of development. Crispini described the rationale for the change, stating: “As Kaizen continues to grow, it’s important that we align leadership focus with how the business is evolving. This change allows me to spend more time on group strategy, innovation and client relationships, while Mike leads Kaizen Reporting through its next phase of growth. Mike has been a key part of shaping our commercial direction, and I know the business is in great hands.”

Kaizen Reporting was founded in 2013 and initially focused on automated quality assurance for regulatory reporting. Since then, it has expanded its product set and client base significantly, with adoption across a broad range of financial institutions. Leach joined the firm as Chief Revenue Officer in June 2025, following senior roles at London Stock Exchange Group, where he was involved in the development of UnaVista, now LSEG Regulatory Reporting Solutions.

Commenting on his new role, Leach said: “Kaizen Reporting has an incredibly strong foundation, a clear strategy, and a talented team. I’m excited to lead the business, support our clients, and drive the next phase of growth through continued investment in technology, innovation, and delivery excellence.” The leadership update follows a series of senior appointments, including James Crow as Chief Technology Officer and the addition of Chris Childs and Tim Keady as strategic advisors, underscoring the group’s continued emphasis on technology, execution, and client delivery.

ThetaRay Names Brad Levy CEO as AI Becomes Core to Financial Crime Compliance

ThetaRay has appointed Brad Levy as Chief Executive Officer, marking a leadership transition as the firm moves into its next phase of growth in AI-driven financial crime compliance. Levy joins from Symphony, where he led one of the financial sector’s most widely adopted market infrastructure platforms, and brings long-standing experience in scaling mission-critical technology across global financial institutions.

The appointment comes as banks and FinTechs increasingly reassess their transaction monitoring and due-diligence architectures in response to rising volumes, cross-border complexity, and more sophisticated financial crime typologies. ThetaRay has positioned its Cognitive AI platform as a response to these pressures, focusing on anomaly detection and behavioural analysis across complex transaction flows.

Levy’s background spans multiple generations of financial market infrastructure. Most recently, he served as CEO of Symphony, the secure collaboration platform established by a consortium of global banks and used by hundreds of thousands of financial professionals worldwide. Before that, he held senior leadership roles at IHS Markit, including CEO of MarkitSERV, and spent 18 years at Goldman Sachs, ultimately as Managing Director and Global Head of the Principal Strategic Investments Group.

Reflecting on the industry context behind the move, Levy said:

“The industry is reaching a tipping point, where AI is no longer optional but foundational. My focus is on scaling this platform globally, deepening our partnerships with financial institutions, and embedding compliance as a strategic capability that drives sustainable growth.”

Levy succeeds Peter Reynolds, who has led ThetaRay since June 2023. During that period, the company expanded its enterprise customer base and broadened its product coverage across transaction monitoring and transaction due diligence. Reynolds is stepping down for family reasons and will remain involved in an advisory capacity during a defined transition period.

From a governance and execution perspective, the board views the transition as aligned with ThetaRay’s current stage of development. Chairman Erel Margalit described the shift as one of emphasis rather than direction, noting that the company has reached a point where scale and operational execution are increasingly central. As Margalit put it:

“We have reached a moment where scale, execution, and global impact matter more than ever.”

ThetaRay is backed by a group of global investors including JVP and Portage, reflecting continued investor interest in applied AI platforms focused on regulated financial services use cases. As regulatory scrutiny of transaction monitoring effectiveness and explainability continues to intensify across jurisdictions, the company’s next phase under Levy is expected to focus on broader deployment, deeper institutional integration, and operational resilience at scale.

Innovative Systems Appoints Regional Heads to Scale its Global Partner Ecosystem

Innovative Systems is expanding how it works with partners as part of its next phase of growth, appointing two regional leaders to coordinate and develop its partner ecosystem across the Americas and EMEA.

The company’s partner strategy now centres on tighter collaboration with data providers, orchestration platforms, systems integrators, core technology platforms embedded within FinScan solutions, and strategic partners involved in joint go-to-market and cross-sell initiatives. This shift reflects an emphasis on using partnerships to extend capability and delivery rather than treating them as standalone channels.

As Chief Operating Officer Deborah Overdeput explains, “A strong, well-coordinated partner network is a critical pillar of our growth strategy.” She adds that partners help the company “extend our reach, strengthen our value proposition, accelerate time to market, and enable us to deliver more value to clients together.”

To lead this effort in the Americas, Craig Lippmann has joined as Head of Partnerships. He brings more than 20 years of experience building partner ecosystems across SaaS, fintech, and compliance markets. His background includes alliance and go-to-market leadership roles at Computer Services, Inc. (CSI), Alessa, and Thomson Reuters, where he focused on designing scalable partner programs and integrating them into broader growth strategies.

In EMEA, Steve Emecz has been appointed Head of Partnerships, working in a hybrid capacity from the company’s London office. His experience spans partner and alliance leadership across fintech and technology, with prior roles at Tungsten Automation and Xerox. His work has centred on aligning platform providers, integrators, and technology partners around shared commercial and delivery goals.

Lippmann and Emecz will work closely with sales, product, marketing, and operations teams to embed partner activity into the company’s core go-to-market approach. Their remit includes aligning partner initiatives with customer outcomes and long-term business objectives, rather than treating partnerships as parallel efforts.

Looking ahead, Overdeput said the company views this leadership structure as foundational: “We are excited about the leadership, structure, and momentum Craig and Steve will bring to our partner strategy.” She added, “As we continue to scale globally, our partners will remain essential to how we innovate, deliver, and win in the market.”

Droit Appoints RegTech Veteran to Boost European Sales Amid Accelerating Global Regulatory Change

Droit has brought in experienced RegTech specialist Jean-Marie Mamodesen to help the firm deepen its engagement with European financial institutions at a time when regulatory change is accelerating across global markets. Joining the London office, Mamodesen takes on the role of Regional Sales Director for Continental Europe.

With more than two decades in regulatory reporting, Mamodesen has held senior roles across the industry, including Managing Director and Head of European Sales at Kaizen, sales leadership positions at Deutsche Börse and Xtrakter, and earlier roles at ICMA and ISMA. His background reflects a period in which market participants have had to manage successive waves of reforms in transaction reporting, transparency, and data governance.

Droit’s Chief Commercial Officer, Craig Butterworth, noted the relevance of that experience, pointing to the need for deeper domain expertise as firms grapple with increasingly complex reporting obligations. “Jean-Marie has a proven track record of scaling regulatory technology solutions and a deep understanding of the European transaction reporting landscape. His expertise will be invaluable as we further expand our footprint across Europe to meet the need for automating regulatory compliance,” he said.

The appointment comes as firms continue to adjust to updates across MiFID II/MiFIR, EMIR Refit, and other reporting regimes worldwide. Institutions are increasingly looking for tools that help them interpret and implement evolving rules consistently, reduce the burden of manual oversight, and validate submissions with greater confidence. Droit’s decision-making platform, Adept, underpins its Trade and Transaction Reporting solution, which is designed to give users clearer visibility into obligations and how they apply across jurisdictions.

For Mamodesen, the attraction lies in addressing this complexity head-on. As he puts it, “What drew me to Droit is its ability to bring clarity and control to the increasing regulatory complexity. Through technology designed by the market and built by experts, Droit’s market-leading decision-making engine provides firms with the assurance, transparency, and precision they need to operate with confidence and stay on the right side of the rules.”

As regulatory expectations continue to evolve, the move reflects Droit’s focus on strengthening its regional expertise and supporting institutions seeking more rigorous, scalable approaches to compliance.

Droit Appoints RegTech Veteran to Boost European Sales Amid Accelerating Global Regulatory Change

Droit has brought in experienced RegTech specialist Jean-Marie Mamodesen to help the firm deepen its engagement with European financial institutions at a time when regulatory change is accelerating across global markets. Joining the London office, Mamodesen takes on the role of Regional Sales Director for Continental Europe.

With more than two decades in regulatory reporting, Mamodesen has held senior roles across the industry, including Managing Director and Head of European Sales at Kaizen, sales leadership positions at Deutsche Börse and Xtrakter, and earlier roles at ICMA and ISMA. His background reflects a period in which market participants have had to manage successive waves of reforms in transaction reporting, transparency, and data governance.

Droit’s Chief Commercial Officer, Craig Butterworth, noted the relevance of that experience, pointing to the need for deeper domain expertise as firms grapple with increasingly complex reporting obligations. “Jean-Marie has a proven track record of scaling regulatory technology solutions and a deep understanding of the European transaction reporting landscape. His expertise will be invaluable as we further expand our footprint across Europe to meet the need for automating regulatory compliance,” he said.

The appointment comes as firms continue to adjust to updates across MiFID II/MiFIR, EMIR Refit, and other reporting regimes worldwide. Institutions are increasingly looking for tools that help them interpret and implement evolving rules consistently, reduce the burden of manual oversight, and validate submissions with greater confidence. Droit’s decision-making platform, Adept, underpins its Trade and Transaction Reporting solution, which is designed to give users clearer visibility into obligations and how they apply across jurisdictions.

For Mamodesen, the attraction lies in addressing this complexity head-on. As he puts it, “What drew me to Droit is its ability to bring clarity and control to the increasing regulatory complexity. Through technology designed by the market and built by experts, Droit’s market-leading decision-making engine provides firms with the assurance, transparency, and precision they need to operate with confidence and stay on the right side of the rules.”

As regulatory expectations continue to evolve, the move reflects Droit’s focus on strengthening its regional expertise and supporting institutions seeking more rigorous, scalable approaches to compliance.

FinScan Expands AML Innovation Leadership with New Strategic Hires

FinScan has strengthened its leadership in anti-money laundering (AML) technology with two senior appointments aimed at advancing product innovation and regulatory alignment. Becki LaPorte joins as Principal, AML Strategy and Innovation, while Christopher Ostrowski becomes Product Management Leader – both bringing deep experience in financial crime prevention and compliance operations.

LaPorte will focus on shaping FinScan’s AML strategy and innovation roadmap, working with teams across product, marketing, and client engagement to guide developments in sanctions screening, perpetual KYC, model validation, and AI-driven compliance. A Certified Financial Crime Specialist and Financial Intelligence Specialist, she has more than 25 years’ experience spanning industry, advisory, and regulatory roles. Her background includes serving as Strategic Advisor for Fraud & AML at Datos Insights, founding Exodus Partners Group, and holding senior positions at Advisor Group, CSI, and FINRA, where she developed compliance training for examiners and investigators.

Ostrowski brings over 17 years of product and compliance expertise to his role leading product management. A Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager and Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist, he was previously Chief Operating Officer and Head of Product at FinClusive, where he oversaw development of a compliance-as-a-service platform. Earlier, at Wells Fargo, he managed operational risk and BSA/AML programme initiatives across multiple business units.

Deborah Overdeput, Chief Operating Officer at Innovative Systems, noted that “Becki and Chris bring a combination of visionary leadership, hands-on compliance expertise, and product innovation experience that directly aligns with FinScan’s mission.” She added that their arrival supports the company’s ongoing focus on meeting evolving risk and regulatory demands while anticipating future needs across the financial sector.

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.