Forex Policy: Top Executive Moves – January 2025

The global forex and fintech landscape continues to evolve, with key industry players strengthening their leadership teams. January 2025 saw notable executive moves across major firms, reinforcing their strategic direction, growth initiatives, and market positioning.

Here’s a roundup of some of the most significant leadership appointments and transitions from the past month.

OKX Strengthens Its Presence in MENA with Liam Birch as Head of Trading in Dubai

OKX has appointed Liam Birch as its new Head of Trading in Dubai, reinforcing its growth strategy in the region. With extensive experience in digital assets and brokerage, Liam’s leadership comes as OKX expands its regulatory compliance efforts, including the introduction of AED trading pairs after securing its VASP license in Dubai.

Liam shared his enthusiasm for the role: "I’m thrilled to join OKX and contribute to the growth of the virtual asset ecosystem in this rapidly developing region."

Starling Bank Welcomes Raghu Narula as Chief Banking Officer

Raghu Narula has been named Chief Banking Officer (CBO) at Starling Bank , marking a pivotal step in its expansion. With leadership experience at NatWest Group and 汇丰 , Raghu will focus on driving growth, enhancing customer offerings, and developing new products.

His appointment aligns with Starling’s impressive 50.6% revenue growth and its continued push as a leader in digital banking.

Andrew Mreana Joins Xoala as Head of Growth

Payments solutions firm Xoala has appointed Andrew Mreana , former Head of Growth at Spotware Systems, to spearhead its expansion strategy. With a background in FX and CFD markets from cTrader, EverFX, FXGlobe, and Alvexo, Andrew is set to drive innovation in multi-currency payment solutions.

Expressing his excitement, Andrew stated: "I’m thrilled to be part of a team building something truly next-level. Let’s make this next chapter the best one yet."

Hanna Vainio Named CEO of Euroclear Sweden

Euroclear Sweden has announced the appointment of Hanna Vainio as its new CEO, a move that enhances collaboration with Euroclear Finland, where she currently serves as CEO.

With a decade-long tenure at Euroclear, Hanna has led major projects, including Finland’s migration to the European Central Bank’s TARGET2-Securities (T2S) system. Her leadership will be instrumental in strengthening financial market infrastructure in the Nordic region.

Advanced Markets Appoints Roula Pelehrinis as VP of Institutional Sales for EMEA

Roula Pelehrinis , a seasoned executive in institutional FX sales, has joined Advanced Markets Group as VP of Institutional Sales for EMEA. With experience at TopFX Global , Integral, ZuluTrade , iFOREX , and IronFX , she will focus on expanding global sales, business development, and broker technology solutions.

CEO Anthony Brocco praised her expertise, stating: "Roula’s leadership will be instrumental in driving growth and delivering increased value to our clients."

John Christopher Twort Promoted to Head of Trading at iSAM Securities

iSAM Securities has promoted John Christopher Twort to Head of Trading, leveraging his extensive experience at 瑞银集团 and Rabobank . His role will focus on enhancing liquidity solutions and refining global trading strategies.

John highlighted iSAM’s commitment: "We strive to differentiate ourselves with a more sophisticated offering."

Tim Sim Joins MH Markets as Director of Global Sales

After nine years at Fullerton Markets , Tim Sim has joined MH Markets as Director of Global Sales. With a background in FXPRIMUS , FX1 Academy, and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) , Tim brings a wealth of industry expertise.

In his farewell message, he shared: "The journey at Fullerton has been amazing, and I look forward to embracing new challenges at MH Markets."

Andreas Andreou Joins INGOT Brokers as Chief Sales Officer

Former Chief Revenue Officer at BDSwiss , Andreas Andreou , has joined INGOT BROKERS as Chief Sales Officer. Having previously worked with HF Markets , he brings significant sales leadership to INGOT’s Dubai office.

This move follows a series of leadership transitions in the brokerage industry, positioning INGOT Brokers for further expansion in MENA.

Filip Colakovic Appointed Chief Strategy Officer at KlipC Trading

Filip Colakovic has been named Chief Strategy Officer at KlipC Trading , bringing over 10 years of fintech and business development experience. With a background in CRM solutions for brokers at Fair Trading Technology, Filip will focus on expanding KlipC’s global social trading platform.

Freetrade Co-Founder Davide Fioranelli Returns as Non-Executive Director

After stepping away in 2021 to focus on venture capital investments, Davide Fioranelli has returned to Freetrade as a Non-Executive Director.

This move comes as Freetrade navigates financial challenges, including a ￡13.9 million loss in 2023, positioning itself for a strategic recovery in 2024.

Rostro Group Expands Leadership Team with Key Appointments

ROSTRO Group has strengthened its leadership with:

• Demetra Charalambous as Group Finance Director (formerly at Binance and eToro ).
• Sammy Christou as Managing Director of Systematic Market Making (formerly at Exinity ).

CEO Michael Nejmi Ayres emphasized their role in advancing Rostro’s expansion into futures, options, AI, and blockchain technologies.

ActivTrades Appoints Laurent McClintock as Head of Business Development & Partners

Laurent McClintock , former Pepperstone executive, has joined ActivTrades as Head of Business Development and Partners for the UK.

With experience leading sales teams across the UK and Europe, his appointment aligns with ActivTrades’ growth strategy, despite broader industry challenges.

Final Thoughts

These executive moves highlight the continued evolution of the forex, fintech, and trading industries as firms focus on innovation, regulatory alignment, and global expansion.

Stay tuned for next month’s executive updates as the industry continues to evolve.

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