MELBOURNE, Australia, Aug. 13, 2026 — Global online trading and fintech provider Pepperstone has named Nigel Fernandes as its new Chief Technology Officer (CTO), effective 1 October 2026. Fernandes, currently a senior engineering executive at Xero, will take charge of Pepperstone's accelerated push to build and own more of its proprietary technology as the company expands into crypto and new markets.

The hire underscores a wider shift among online brokers, which are increasingly competing on the depth and reliability of their technology stacks rather than pricing alone. Bringing technology leadership in-house — rather than relying heavily on third-party platforms — has become a differentiator for brokers seeking tighter control over execution speed, client experience, and regulatory compliance across jurisdictions.

Fernandes brings over two decades of technology leadership experience spanning financial services, retail, media, and enterprise software. He joins Pepperstone from Xero, where he serves as SVP and Executive General Manager of Engineering, overseeing a global organisation responsible for cloud platforms, customer identity, and data. His previous roles include senior leadership positions at Publicis Sapient, Coles Group, SEEK, and Envato.

"I'm excited to be joining Pepperstone at such a pivotal time for the business," Fernandes said. "My focus will be building on the quality global brand that traders have trusted for years, investing in the technology we own to scale an AI-native engineering foundation that gives clients faster, more reliable access to the tools they need."

The appointment forms part of Pepperstone's broader strategy to evolve into a comprehensive fintech ecosystem encompassing crypto, AI-native engineering, and institutional-grade infrastructure. Group CEO Tamas Szabo said technology sits at the centre of the company's client experience and long-term ambitions.

"The technology underpinning our client experience is core to everything we do. We're expanding Pepperstone into a genuine fintech ecosystem that opens access to crypto and new markets, while investing in our own technology to give clients a more personalised experience," Szabo said. "Nigel's track record building high-performing engineering teams at some of the world's best technology companies makes him the right leader to help us build that."

In his role as CTO, Fernandes will lead engineering, architecture, security, and data on a global scale. He will report directly to Group CEO Tamas Szabo and will be based at Pepperstone's global headquarters in Melbourne. His arrival in October will be closely watched as a signal of how quickly Pepperstone can translate its AI-native and proprietary-technology ambitions into shipping products, particularly in crypto access where infrastructure demands are high.

About Pepperstone

Pepperstone is a global fintech and CFD broker serving traders in more than 160 countries. The company provides access to forex, indices, commodities, shares, ETFs, and digital asset markets through industry-leading platforms, competitive pricing, and a strong regulatory framework.