Nucleus founder and former chief executive David Ferguson will become CEO of Seccl this year replacing current co-CEOs Sam Handfield-Jones and Dave Harvey.
Ferguson (pictured) led Nucleus Financial Group to £20bn assets under administration prior to stepping down last September.
Handfield-Jones will move into an advisory role at the custodian and investment technology provider.
Seccl chair Ruth Handcock, who is also chief executive of Octopus Investments, which acquired Seccl in 2019, said Ferguson brought sector expertise, a proven track record and a commitment to putting customers first.
“Seccl is on a mission to rebuild the infrastructure of investments and advice, and our innovative, API-first technology is already being used by some of the most exciting firms across the entire retail wealth landscape,” Handcock said.
“It’s testament to the fantastic contribution of both Dave and Sam, who have grown Seccl to half a billion in AUA and built an 80-strong team of talented individuals on the back of an award-winning culture. Thanks to their efforts, Seccl is fast becoming the de facto choice for advisers and fintechs alike – a trend that we are confident David will strengthen.”
Ferguson described Seccl as a respected, disruptive and progressive company.
“I was determined that my next role should involve working with the best and most transformational technology in our industry, with the backing of an investment partner who shares my ambition and values. Seccl has already marked itself out as having the outstanding technology in our field and, after meeting Simon [Rogerson, Octopus Group founder and CEO] and Ruth, I became convinced that this was the perfect home for me in the next stage of my career.
“Investment platforms have made decent use of technology and automation over the last 15-20 years. But that’s now history. The new opportunity is to redefine the way technology is used to radically improve customer outcomes and reach even more people.
“Everyone who has worked with me knows of my conviction that the interests of a company’s customers, shareholders and people should be fully aligned. I am committed to cultivating Seccl’s already distinctive culture, and ensuring we’re the very best place to work for anyone who cares about doing the right thing in financial services.”
