Pepperstone Taps Experienced Tech Leader to Drive Expansion

Melbourne-based Pepperstone has appointed Nigel Fernandes as its new Chief Technology Officer (CTO), effective October 1, 2026. This move comes as the company continues to expand its focus on developing and owning more of its technology.

The appointment follows Pepperstone's launch of a dedicated crypto exchange in February 2026, which offered Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, USDC, and USDT against the Australian dollar. Fernandes will oversee the broker's global technology operations, including engineering, architecture, security, and data functions that support its broader business.

Fernandes brings over 20 years of technology leadership experience across various industries, including financial services, retail, media, and enterprise software. He joins Pepperstone from Xero, where he was SVP and Executive General Manager of Engineering.

Pepperstone's Group CEO Tamas Szabo stated that technology is 'core to everything we do' as the company expands into a broader fintech ecosystem. Fernandes said his focus would be on investing in the technology Pepperstone owns, building an AI-native engineering foundation, and providing faster and more reliable access to trading tools.