Best Startup
At Best Startup UK we track over 130,000 UK startups and over 500,000 people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top Edinburgh based CEO’ operating in the Financial Services space. If you think a CEO’ is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on editor@beststartup.co.uk.
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Companies House UK, Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
Graham Barnet
Chief Executive Officer of Sigma Capital Group
Graham Barnet is co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sigma. As Chief Executive Officer he sits on the boards of both Sigma Capital Group plc and Sigma Technology Management Limited and is responsible for the management of the Group through the development of objectives, strategy and standards of performance. Graham is also a Co-Founder and Managing Director of Sigma’s property activities through its subsiduary Strategic Investment Management Limited Prior to founding Sigma, Graham had his own company, Merchant Investments Limited, which was a specialist consultancy involved in the management of businesses both in the traditional and technology sectors. Graham has been involved in technology investment for almost 20 years and leads the investment committee. Graham also leads Sigma’s funds activity.
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About Sigma Capital Group, The PRS REIT: Sigma Capital Group focus on the creation of communities by delivering new, good quality and well located family homes to rent.
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Stephen Steinour
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Huntington National Bank
Stephen Steinour is the Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Huntington Bancshares Incorporated (since 2009), a $64 billion regional bank holding company. Previously, he was the Chairman and Managing Partner of CrossHarbor Capital Partners, a private equity firm (2008-January 2009). From 2006 to 2008, he was President and CEO of Citizens Financial Group, Inc., a multistate commercial bank holding company. Prior to that, Mr. Steinour served as Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Citizens Mid-States regional banking (2005-2006). He served as Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Citizens Mid-Atlantic Region (2001-2005). At the beginning of his career, Mr. Steinour was an analyst for the U.S. Treasury Department and subsequently worked for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Mr. Steinour was a member of the board of trustees of the Liberty Property Trust (an office and industrial property real estate investment trust) from February 2010 until May 2014, where he served on its audit and compensation committees. Mr. Steinour has served on the board of directors of L Brands (fashion retailer) since 2014. He was elected to The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Board in November 2013. Mr. Steinour is a member of council of The Pennsylvania Society, a non-profit, charitable organization which celebrates service to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He also serves as a trustee of the Eisenhower Fellowships and is a member of the Columbus Partnership and a trustee of the Columbus Downtown Development Corporation. He is a member of the American Bankers Association. Mr. Steinour also served as a member on the policy and legal affairs committees of the Pennsylvania Business Roundtable, an association of CEOs in large Pennsylvania companies representing significant employment and economic activity in the Commonwealth. He also has served on the board of and as the chairman of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce.
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About Huntington National Bank: Huntington National Bank is a public bank that serves both individuals and businesses.
Paul Jourdan
Chief Executive Officer of Amati Global Investors
Dr Paul Jourdan is an award winning fund manager, with a strong track record in small cap investment. He co-founded Amati Global Investors following the management buyout of Noble Fund Managers from Noble Group in 2010, having joined Noble in 2007 as Head of Equities. His fund management career began in 1998 with Stewart Ivory, which was taken over by First State in 2000 at which time Paul became manager of what is now TB Amati UK Smaller Companies Fund. In early 2005 he launched what is now Amati VCT and he also manages Amati VCT 2 after the investment management contract moved to Amati Global Investors in 2010. In September 2014 Amati launched the Amati AIM IHT Portfolio Service, which Paul co-manages with Douglas Lawson and David Stevenson. Prior to 1998 Paul worked as a professional violinist, including a four year period with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. He is CEO of Amati and a Director of Sistema Scotland.
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About Amati Global Investors: Amati Global Investors is a specialist fund management business based in Edinburgh.
Evangelos Pappas
CEO of Ocyan
CEO/Founder of Ocyan. Tech & Blockchain Advisor. More than 10 years of experience in Startups. Strong Technical Background in Software & Platforms Engineering.
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About Ocyan: Financial marketplace for European Expats
Ed Molyneux
CEO of FreeAgent
CEO at FreeAgent
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About FreeAgent: FreeAgent provides online accounting and money management software for small businesses and freelancers.
James Varga
CEO & Founder of The ID Co.
James Varga is the CEO & Founder of DirectID & he attended Kwantlen Polytechnic University in 1991.
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About DirectID, The ID Co.: The ID Co. help businesses onboard their customers using Open Bank data to solve business pains such as credit risk and affordability.
Georgia Stewart
Co-Founder & CEO of Tumelo
Georgia Stewart is the Co-Founder and CEO of Tumelo.
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About Tumelo: Tumelo is an impact-focused financial technology firm with the mission of giving every investor a voice.
Joe Sluys
CEO of SquareBook
Joe is a highly experienced CEO with over 20 years experience working with and for Investment Banks. Joe is the CEO/Co-Founder of SquareBook, a tech platform that gives companies a new way to raise equity capital. Joe previously founded Sentronex and has significant experience of the Financial Services industry both from a business and technology perspective. Joe regularly gives talks and lectures on the future of public markets and fintech.
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About SquareBook: SquareBook is a socially responsible FinTech driving a new IPO equity culture.
Jude Cook
CEO, Co-Founder, Investment Based Crowdfunding Platforms of ShareIn
Jude has been hooked on crowdfunding since 2011. She’s a chartered accountant who loves hearing about exciting new companies and passionate about fuelling their growth.
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About ShareIn: ShareIn help our clients deliver market leading direct investment channels.
Steve Tigar
CEO of Money Dashboard
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About Money Dashboard: Money Dashboard is an online personal financial management service allowing users to view their online financial accounts.
Manu Peleteiro
CEO of Inbest.ai
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About Inbest.ai: Inbest.ai is a data analytics platform that aims to democratise the access to wealth management.
Stuart Lunn
Founder & CEO of LendingCrowd
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About LendingCrowd: LendingCrowd is a fintech lending platform serving mainland UK.
