Executive Moves of the Week: Leadership Shifts at Saxo, Hargreaves Lansdown, EC Markets, Equiom and Trading 212

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The below are selected highlights of last week's executive transitions, including significant leadership shifts across the banking, trading, and FinTech sectors.

Bank - Saxo UK Board Sees Further Changes Following Ownership Shift

Michael Ridley, a non-executive director at Saxo Capital Markets UK Limited, has resigned from the company's board, according to recent reports. This development follows closely on the heels of the departure of Saxo UK Chairman Richard Balarkas.

The changes at the UK arm of Copenhagen-based Saxo Bank come shortly after the announcement of the acquisition of Saxo Bank by J. Safra Sarasin Group. In a related move, Saxo Bank has appointed Henrik Juel Villberg, its long-standing EVP Head of Group Markets & Treasury, to the board of Saxo UK.

Broker - Hargreaves Lansdown CFO to Depart Following Delisting

Hargreaves Lansdown has announced that Chief Financial Officer, Amy Stirling, will step down from her position after the company's planned delisting on March 25, 2025. This decision follows the court's sanction of the scheme of arrangement today.  

According to the company, Stirling will remain in her role during a transition period to ensure a smooth handover to her successor. Hargreaves Lansdown has initiated the recruitment process for a new CFO.

Broker - EC Markets UK Strengthens Technology Division with New Head Hire

EC Markets has appointed Gleb Kaplan as the new Head of Technology for its UK operations. Kaplan joins the retail FX and CFDs broker after an eight-year tenure as Global Head of Engineering at Equiti Group, based in London. He departed Equiti late last year.  

Kaplan brings extensive experience in financial technology, having previously held senior positions at London Capital Group (LCG) and Alpari. This appointment follows the recent hiring of Adam Saward as Managing Director of EC Markets UK.

Wealth Management - Equiom Appoints Sharon Yam as New Head of Asia

Global professional services provider Equiom Group has announced the appointment of Sharon Yam as its new Regional Head of Asia. In this role, Ms. Yam will be responsible for spearheading the company's strategic growth, ensuring operational excellence, and driving business development across the Asian region.  

Ms. Yam brings over two decades of experience in private wealth, fiduciary, and corporate services to Equiom. Her career includes senior leadership and board positions at prominent financial institutions and asset management firms such as Ocorian, TMF, BNP Paribas Private Bank, and Citigroup. Her expertise encompasses business transformation, change management, and corporate governance, with a focus on delivering tailored solutions to clients globally.

Broker - Trading 212 Announces Departure of Board Chairman​

Longtime board of directors member and Chairman of Trading 212, Andrew Bole, has stepped down from his role with the company, it has been announced. Bole had served as Chairman of the Bulgaria and London-based retail online broker since 2020. This development follows a previous report late last year indicating his resignation from the board of institutional multi-asset brokerage Britannia Global Markets Limited, where he also held the position of non-executive Chairman.

Prior to his involvement with Trading 212, Bole held a prominent role as the Chief Risk Officer (CRO) at UK industry-leading online brokerage IG Group for a substantial period of 15 years, from 2000 to 2015. His career also includes a stint as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) at prime broker GPP Group, and later as Head of Process at Schroders Personal Wealth, a position he left in September 2020.