Capitolis has appointed Roy Saadon, the former chief executive and co-founder of AccessFintech, as head of market development for its portfolio optimisation business, extending a recent run of senior leadership hires at the fintech.
London-based Saadon joins less than a month after Capitolis named Okan Pekin as president, as the firm looks to accelerate product adoption and expand into new markets.
The appointment marks Saadon’s first major role since stepping aside as chief executive of AccessFintech in May last year, after eight years leading the post-trade collaboration platform. At the time, AccessFintech appointed John Shay as interim CEO while it began the search for a permanent successor.
During his tenure, Saadon helped build AccessFintech into a widely adopted market infrastructure provider, working closely with banks, asset managers and market utilities. Earlier in his career, he was a co-founder of Traiana, which went on to become a key part of global derivatives post-trade processing.
In his new role, Saadon will lead market development for Capitolis’ portfolio optimisation business, with responsibility for driving client adoption and supporting expansion across regions and asset classes.
Gil Mandelzis, founder and chief executive of Capitolis, said Saadon brings deep experience in building and scaling critical capital markets infrastructure.
“I have known Roy for a very long time, and he is one of the most innovative and creative minds in the financial technology industry,” Mandelzis said. “As we continue to develop new, groundbreaking solutions, I could not be more excited to have Roy lead this next phase of growth as part of our leadership.”
Saadon stated Capitolis’ focus on capital markets optimisation and its recent momentum were key factors behind his decision to join.
“Capitolis delivers critical solutions for the capital markets, and has established itself as an innovative industry partner, achieving meaningful scale,” he said. “The company’s relentless commitment to innovation and the incredible team it has built make me excited to join and help lead this next phase of hyper-scaling.”
The hire follows a busy period for Capitolis, which has expanded its product offering, increased its client base and deepened strategic bank relationships. The firm is also continuing to integrate Capitalab, which it acquired to strengthen its portfolio optimisation capabilities.
Saadon’s arrival follows the appointment of Pekin, a recipient of Global Custodian’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and the former global head of securities services at Citi, who joined Capitolis after a 35-year career at the bank, having previously served on the fintech’s board representing Citi.
Capitolis has also made a number of other senior appointments in recent months, including Richard Schiffman as chief product officer, Amol Naik as chief operating officer and Melanie Carucci as global head of sales, as it positions itself for its next phase of growth.