People Moves: Fitch Group, 3d Innovations, BCS, Torstone Technology

Fitch Group Taps Heidi Lanford As Chief Data Officer

Fitch Group has announced the appointment of Heidi Lanford as its chief data officer.

Lanford will be responsible for transforming the way Fitch leverages data across its businesses to enhance current products and internal applications, as well as exploiting the value of data for new product development.

She joins Fitch from Red Hat (IBM), where she was the vice president of enterprise data and analytics. Formerly she held executive positions with Avaya and WPP.

Lanford is a frequent keynote speaker on topics about building a data culture, data literacy, applied analytics, data science and women in STEM, and also sits on the board of the School of Data Science at the University of Virginia.

John White To Lead 3d innovations

John White has been appointed CEO of data management solutions company 3d innovations (3di).  

The appointment was made alongside the announcement of 3di’s acquisition of Charlotte-based Investment Data Licensing Advisors (IDLA) a market and investment data licensing advisory firm serving the U.S. market. White was founder and principal at IDLA.

White has more than 35 years’ experience across the investment data industry. Prior to founding IDLA, he served as managing director and global head of market data and distribution for the London Stock Exchange, and held senior level data roles at State Street Global Advisors, Columbia Management Group and Wellington Management Company where he managed large market data licensing budgets and data quality teams.

Torstone Makes Senior Hires

Torstone Technology has announced the onboarding of new senior talent within the firm’s business development and product development teams.

Donal O’Brien has joined Torstone in the UK, to manage the global pre-sales function, working closely with sales, product management and professional services teams. He has over 30 years’ experience in capital markets building post-trade solutions in Europe, North America and Asia, most recently with firms such as GBST and Broadridge.

Alvaro Del Pino Aguilera has joined Torstone as head of sales for Iberia. Based in Madrid, He has over 25 years of experience working with financial technology firms, including AxiomSL and SunGard/FIS, covering the wholesale and institutional market.

In North America, Suki Dewan has been appointed as Torstone’s head of sales for Canada. Dewan has over 20 years’ experience in capital markets, gained through his previous roles at Iress, Fidessa, SS&C and State Street.

In Asia, the sales team has been further expanded, with Hidetoshi Kobayashi joining Torstone as head of sales for Japan to accelerate the firm’s growth in the region. He joins Torstone from Finastra where he spent about12 years working with banks and brokers in the region.

These senior appointments, along with a number of other hires in Torstone offices around the world, follow Torstone’s announcement earlier this year that David Pearson joined the firm’s London office to help strengthen Torstone’s product focus and delivery, following his long tenure at Fidessa. Pearson is also now representing Torstone as the co-chair of the FIX Global Post-Trade Working Group.

BCS Global Markets Hires As Deputy Head of Research, Fixed Income

BCS Global Markets, the investment banking division of BCS Financial Group, has announced the appointment of Kiti Pantskhava as the firm’s new deputy head of research, fixed income.

In the new role she will be co-leading a team responsible for fixed income strategy in Russia and other emerging markets. Pantskhava will also oversee further development of the firm’s fixed income research offering and will assist the senior team in expanding BCS GM’s existing client base by drawing on her extensive network to develop new partnerships.

She joins BCS GM’s research team from emerging market investment analytics specialists Tellimer (formerly Exotix) where she spent two-and-a-half years as a senior credit analyst. Pantskhava has also held fixed income analyst positions at a number of leading international and Russian institutions, including Nomura, VTB Capital and Gazprombank AM

Pantskhava will be based in London