LeapRate Exclusive… LeapRate has learned that recently-launched CySEC licensed Retail FX and CFDs broker Capital.com has hired longtime IG Group Holdings plc (LON:IGG) executive Ivan Gowan (pictured above) as its new CEO.
Kira Bondareva
Mr. Gowan will be based in London, and also heads up the company’s UK office. He replaces Kira Bondareva as CEO. We understand that Ms. Bondareva is remaining with Capital.com, mainly representing the interests of major investors Larnabel Ventures and VP Capital (more on them below), but without a day-to-day management role.
Ivan Gowan spent more than 15 years at IG, starting in 2002 as a developer and working his way up the ranks to become Head of IT Development by 2011, overseeing the development of the IT software used to drive the business including IG’s trading platforms and trading apps. In 2016 he was promoted to Chief Digital Experience Officer.
His technology background seems to make sense for the position, given that – unlike most other recently launched CFD brokers – Capital.com has developed its own trading platforms, which it sees as a major differentiator.
Capital.com is the operating name for CySEC licensed CIF Capital Com SV Investments Ltd, which received its CySEC license last April. As was exclusively reported at LeapRate, Capital.com raised $25 million from investors Larnabel Ventures and VP Capital before going live in June. VP Capital is a tech and real estate investment company founded and run by Belarusian online entrepreneur Viktor Prokopenya. Larnabel Ventures is the investment arm of Mikhail Gutseriev and family, one of Russia’s wealthiest oligarchs. Capital.com is one of several tech related investments Larnabel has made alongside the London / Minsk based VP Capital.
The company used $1.5 million of those funds to pay for the capital.com url.
Capital.com first launched last summer with an AI-based mobile trading app and a focus on mobile trading, but has also added a desktop web trading platform. Capital.com’s desktop version of its trading software was developed in cooperation with trading technology provider UMSTEL. The company also launched an educational app, Investmate, delivering supplementary educational content aimed at teaching amateur investors about investing best practices.