Droit Appoints Somerset Pheasant as Chief Strategy Officer to Drive Growth and Partnerships

Droit, provider of computational law and regulatory solutions, has named Somerset Pheasant as its Chief Strategy Officer. In this newly created role, Pheasant will lead the development and execution of the firm’s strategic initiatives, focusing on growth acceleration, partnership engagement, and alignment with client needs.

Pheasant’s appointment comes after a significant year for Droit, marked by key product launches. In 2024, Droit partnered with FINBOURNE to deliver a comprehensive position reporting solution and introduced its Exchange Traded Derivatives (ETD) Reporting product to enhance regulatory transparency for listed derivatives. The company plans further advancements in regulatory solutions for both buy-side and sell-side clients in 2025.

Pheasant brings over 15 years of financial industry experience, including his role as Managing Director at Goldman Sachs, where he led strategic investing and managed a $500 million portfolio. He previously served on Droit’s board from 2016 to 2023, contributing to its growth and strategic direction.

Brock Arnason, Founder and CEO of Droit, commented: “We have enjoyed a longstanding and productive relationship with Somerset. His experience as a member of the Droit board as well as within strategy and investing at Goldman Sachs will be invaluable as we embark on the next stage of our corporate growth plan. We look forward to the contribution he will make as part of the leadership of Droit.”

Somerset Pheasant, Chief Strategy Officer of Droit, added: “Droit has a proven ability to help financial institutions meet their regulatory obligations in the complex and evolving environment within which they operate. That, and the innovation that underpins this, has set Droit apart since the start of my engagement with the company back in 2016, and it continues to do so. I look forward to bringing my experience to bear as Droit continues to refine its strategy and expand the range of solutions which enable clients to navigate the challenges of ongoing global regulatory change with consistency, clarity and accuracy.”

Target Group Appoints Scott Hill as CIO to Drive IT Strategy and Digital Transformation

Target Group, the provider of business process services and digital transformation solutions, has appointed Scott Hill as its new Chief Information Officer (CIO). Hill brings over 25 years of IT industry experience, having led large-scale digital transformation projects across financial services, utilities, education, and retail sectors. His career includes senior roles at Accenture, Circle, The White Company, and most recently, Diageo, where he oversaw global website transformation initiatives.

In his new role, Hill will drive Target’s IT strategy to enhance digital capabilities and meet the evolving needs of clients across various sectors. Hill’s appointment reflects Target’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge innovation and expanding its digital transformation services.

Exegy Appoints Jim Fiesel as Chief Revenue Officer to Drive Growth and Innovation

Exegy, the market data and trading technology provider, has appointed Jim Fiesel as Chief Revenue Officer (CRO). Fiesel, previously Managing Director of the Americas at Broadridge, brings extensive expertise from leadership roles at Bloomberg, Tradeweb, and Finastra. Exegy’s 64% sales growth in 2024 highlights its momentum, which Fiesel aims to accelerate drawing on his deep market knowledge and proven track record in delivering innovative client solutions.

In 2024, Exegy made significant strides in its low-latency trading technology, notably nxFramework, enabling FPGA-based development with record-breaking trade execution latency of 13.9ns.

Commenting on the appointment, David Taylor, CEO of Exegy, said: “We are delighted to welcome Jim to our world-class team. His proven ability to build and lead successful teams that deliver real value to clients will be instrumental in helping us achieve our goals. Our sharp focus on delivering superior client experiences directly contributed to our success in 2024. Recruiting Jim represents a doubling-down on our investment in strengthening our client partnerships.”

Fiesel added: “I’m thrilled about the future of the Exegy product suite, especially our next-generation enterprise market data solution that integrates proven technologies and services from Exegy, Enyx, and Vela. This innovative offering was a key factor in my decision to join Exegy and I’m eager to help our clients capitalize on these exciting advancements.”

Finastra Announces CEO Transition as Chris Walters Succeeds Simon Paris

Finastra, the global financial services software provider, has announced a leadership change with Simon Paris stepping down as Chief Executive Officer after nearly a decade in charge. Chris Walters, former CEO of Pluralsight and Avantax, will take over as Finastra’s new CEO. Walters brings extensive experience in scaling technology companies, having previously held senior roles at McKinsey & Company and Bloomberg.

During Paris’s tenure, Finastra achieved significant milestones, including the integration of Misys and D+H in 2017, establishing a client base of over 8,000 institutions across 130 countries, and earning top industry accolades for innovation and leadership. Under his leadership, the company also made notable progress in AI capabilities and widespread upskilling of employees.

The leadership transition marks a pivotal moment for Finastra as it begins its new strategic phase in 2025. Paris and Walters will collaborate during the handover to ensure a seamless transition.

Commenting on his appointment, Walters said: “I’m excited to join Finastra at this pivotal moment in its journey and am impressed by the significant progress that has been made during Simon’s leadership. I look forward to working with the talented team to drive sustainable growth and continue to deliver more value to our customers, team members, and investors.”

Broadridge Appoints David Fellah and Alix Jules to Advance AI Trading Solutions and Transformation

Broadridge Financial Solutions has appointed David Fellah as Vice President of AI Trading Solutions and Alix Jules as AI Business Transformation Leader, both reporting to Roger Burkhardt, Enterprise Head of AI and Data and CTO of Capital Markets. Based in New York, Fellah will focus on developing AI and analytics-based trading solutions to enhance client strategies and reduce costs. Fellah brings three decades of experience in trading technology and quantitative research, with prior roles at Instinet, ITG, and J.P. Morgan.

“David brings a holistic understanding of the financial and technological considerations that front-office traders face,” said Burkhardt. “His experience and success underscore our commitment to investing in AI-powered innovations that deliver meaningful and differential value to global markets.”

Alix Jules, who also joins Broadridge in New York, will lead the transformation strategy to improve productivity and streamline operations through GenAI and digital tools. Previously with Google, IBM, and Verizon Business, Jules brings expertise in implementing AI-driven operational efficiencies. These appointments support Broadridge’s expanding portfolio of AI-powered innovations, including BondGPT, OpsGPT, and Tradeverse, aimed at delivering enhanced data and AI solutions to clients in capital markets.

“We are excited to have Alix join Broadridge where we are dedicated to leveraging AI to better serve our clients, empower our staff and drive efficiency in operations,” commented Burkhardt. “Alix’s background in digital and AI driven transformations brings invaluable “hands on” expertise to our business and operations teams as they transform the ways in which we service our clients and meet the needs of the financial services industry.  He brings deep and practical understanding of both the human and technical elements of business transformations.”

TRG Screen Expands Global Operations with New Center in Bangalore and Key Leadership Appointments

TRG Screen, the B2B market data and subscription cost management solutions provider, has opened a new Global Capacity Center in Bangalore, India, and made a series of strategic leadership appointments. The Bangalore center aims to enhance TRG Screen’s ability to provide around-the-clock client support, to reinforce the company’s operational resilience, and expand its talent base in key areas like AI, data analytics, and managed services, supporting TRG Screen’s global client base across multiple time zones.

Alongside this expansion, TRG Screen has bolstered its executive team under CEO Leigh Walters, with new roles focused on financial growth, customer experience, technological advancement, and product innovation. Key appointees include Marina Angelides as CFO, Terence Faherty as CRO, Nadine Scott as CCO, Harvinder Vasir as CTO, Suzanne Ward as CPO, and Amjad Zoghbi as Head of Solutions Engineering.

OptAxe Appoints FX Industry Leader Chris Smith as Chief Business Development Officer

OptAxe, the regulated trading platform specialising in liquidity solutions for FX options, has appointed Chris Smith, a veteran in foreign exchange (FX) markets, to its management team. The strategic hire follows OptAxe’s recent authorisation by the UK’s FCA to operate as a Multilateral Trading Facility (MTF) for FX options, reinforcing the company’s commitment to innovation in centralised liquidity and trading efficiency.

Smith brings over 30 years of experience across prominent financial institutions, having held senior roles at Commonwealth Bank, Deutsche Bank, HSBC, Citi, and Credit Suisse. Known for his expertise in technology-driven trading solutions, Smith has led numerous initiatives to enhance market efficiency and deepen liquidity access. His addition to OptAxe’s leadership team is set to accelerate the firm’s growth and solidify its position as a leading platform in FX options trading.

ITRS Hires Ryan Terpstra as New CEO to Drive Growth and Innovation

ITRS, the real-time IT monitoring and observability solutions provider, has appointed Ryan Terpstra as CEO. Terpstra replaces Guy Warren, who led the company for over a decade and is stepping down to prioritise family commitments. Terpstra brings over 20 years of leadership experience in technology, most recently serving as Chief Product Officer at ION Analytics, a division of ION Group. His background includes founding Selerity, where he developed AI-powered products, positioning him well to enhance ITRS’s AIOps capabilities.

Under Terpstra’s leadership, ITRS plans to expand its offerings through product innovation and strategic mergers and acquisitions (M&A), supported by key stakeholders, including Montagu and TA Associates. This strategic leadership transition underscores ITRS’s commitment to advancing its market position and delivering value to both new and existing clients.

DiffusionData Appoints Raphael Vergnaud as Chief Revenue Officer

DiffusionData, thereal-time data streaming and messaging solutions vendor, has named Raphael Vergnaud as its new Chief Revenue Officer. Vergnaud brings over 25 years of global experience in enterprise sales, previously holding senior roles at companies such as Montrium, Zendrive, and Keatext. In his new position, he will oversee all revenue-generating activities, focusing on sales and marketing strategies to drive business growth.

With a background as both a software engineer and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, Vergnaud is well-equipped to lead DiffusionData’s sales efforts. His expertise spans new business development, sales strategy, and building high-performance sales teams. DiffusionData’s flagship framework, Diffusion, is widely used in industries like financial services and eGaming, offering patented delta streaming technology that reduces bandwidth and cloud costs while delivering real-time, hyper-personalised data.

SGX FX Strengthens Liquidity and Data Innovation with Appointment of Hugh Whelan

SGX FX, the FX arm of the Singapore Exchange, has appointed Hugh Whelan as head of liquidity management and data strategy, reinforcing its commitment to enhancing liquidity provision and advancing data-driven solutions.

Whelan, formerly the head of EBS Direct at CME Group, will be based in London and tasked with steering the strategic direction of the liquidity provider segment. His responsibilities include fostering relationships with key sell-side clients, identifying growth opportunities, and improving platform capabilities to better serve the liquidity provider community. Whelan brings a wealth of experience in the FX market, having successfully led the development of EBS Direct into a bilateral FX trading venue. His expertise in driving commercial success and product innovation will be key to SGX FX’s future growth.