Pepperstone Appoints New CTO to Drive AI-Native Proprietary Tech Push

Former Xero engineering executive Nigel Fernandes will lead Pepperstone's push to own more of its technology as the business expands into crypto and new markets. 

MELBOURNE, Australia, Aug. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Melbourne-based Pepperstone, a global online trading and fintech provider serving clients in more than 160 countries, today announced the appointment of Nigel Fernandes as Chief Technology Officer (CTO), effective 1 October 2026. The appointment comes as Pepperstone accelerates its shift toward owning more of its own technology, building a broader fintech ecosystem spanning crypto, AI-native engineering and institutional-grade infrastructure. 

Fernandes brings more than 20 years of technology leadership experience across financial services, retail, media and enterprise software. He will join from Xero, where he serves as SVP and Executive General Manager of Engineering leading a global organisation across cloud platforms, customer identity and data. Prior to Xero, he held senior leadership roles at Publicis Sapient, Coles Group, SEEK and Envato. 

"I'm excited to be joining Pepperstone at such a pivotal time for the business," said Fernandes. "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 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," said Tamas Szabo, Group CEO of Pepperstone. "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." 

As CTO, Fernandes will lead engineering, architecture, security and data globally, reporting to Group CEO Tamas Szabo. He will be based at Pepperstone's global headquarters in Melbourne.

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.