CFI group, a leading global trading and investing provider headquartered in the UAE, has announced the appointment of three distinguished independent members to its board of directors. The strategic expansion reinforces the group’s commitment to world-class governance, long-term value creation, and ongoing innovation across its international operations.
The new board members bring a powerful mix of institutional market expertise, fintech innovation, and regulated brokerage leadership, strengthening CFI’s long-term strategy and global growth agenda.
Federico Cirulli joins CFI group with over 20 years of executive leadership in regulated brokerages and asset management across Europe.
Former CEO of ActivTrades Ltd UK and Swissquote Ltd UK (formerly MIG Capital), and senior executive at CMC Markets UK Plc, Cirulli is recognised for driving digital transformation, global expansion, and sustainable growth.
Currently CEO of Atlantide Asset Management, he brings extensive expertise in retail brokerage, capital markets, regulatory strategy, and mergers and acquisitions.
David Haglund brings more than two decades of investment leadership and corporate governance experience, particularly across emerging markets. A former portfolio manager at Franklin Templeton and an award-winning investor, Haglund has managed multi-billion-dollar mandates in public markets. He also served on the board of Aramex, a publicly listed global logistics company, contributing to governance, audit, risk oversight, and sustainability strategy. His institutional expertise in corporate governance and capital markets will guide CFI through strategic transformation and growth.
Prema Varadhan, recognized among the Top 100 Women in Fintech, joins with over 25 years of global fintech and enterprise product leadership. As President of Product and COO at Temenos, Varadhan has led large-scale cloud and digital transformation initiatives for financial institutions worldwide. Her experience in AI-enabled financial infrastructure, product innovation, and scaling mission-critical platforms will bolster CFI’s technological and operational capabilities.
Board chair highlights strategic impact
Commenting on the appointments, Hisham Mansour, chairman of the board at CFI group, stated:
“The right board doesn’t just guide a company; it elevates it. These appointments mark an important step in CFI’s evolution, bringing exceptional depth across institutional markets, fintech innovation, and corporate governance. Federico, David, and Prema bring clarity of vision, depth of experience, and perspectives that will sharpen our strategic thinking and strengthen our ability to lead, innovate, and grow responsibly. We are proud to welcome them as we continue shaping CFI’s future with ambition, discipline, integrity, and purpose.”
The appointments signal CFI group’s ongoing commitment to embedding governance as a strategic enabler of growth. As the group scales across regions, products, and capabilities, strengthened board oversight ensures decisions are anchored in accountability, foresight, and regulatory excellence.
With over 25 years of operational maturity, 14 international licenses, and a growing global footprint, CFI group is making governance a cornerstone of sustainable innovation. These additions position the company to drive trust, structure, and long-term resilience while navigating its next phase of global transformation.