Inside HFM’s plans to become a ‘household name’ in online trading

HFM is an internationally recognised and regulated^* online trading broker that offers a variety of trading instruments and platforms to retail and institutional investors in countries around the world, including SA.

It’s distinguished by its enduring success as part of the HFM Group, which has been “empowering traders to pursue opportunities in the financial markets” since it was founded in 2010. Today it has 2.5-million active client accounts.

While adaptability has been instrumental to HFM’s rise to industry leadership, its ascent stems equally from innovation and visionary stewardship, promoted by its executives, chief commercial officer Hayel Abu-Hamdan and chief strategy officer Eirini Koukaki, whose strategic contributions have reshaped the broker’s path.

In this interview, Abu-Hamdan and Koukaki reflect candidly on the company’s evolution, offering insights into the blend of operational excellence and forward-thinking leadership that ensures HFM continues to set new benchmarks.

What is your expertise?

Abu-Hamdan: I bring over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry to the table, with expertise in business strategy, marketing, financial markets, and leadership development. My solid background in financial analysis and market development has allowed me to bridge the gap between institutional-grade trading solutions and retail traders.

Throughout my career, I have successfully led commercial expansion, product innovation, and strategic partnerships across various regions, helping companies strengthen their global presence.

Koukaki: I am an engineer by trade, with a Master’s in Electrical and Computer Engineering, a Master of Science in Optics and Photonics, and an MBA from London Business School.

Like most tech-driven people, I’ve always had an insatiable curiosity to explore new technologies and discover opportunities where others see challenges. This is how I landed my senior manager position at Amazon in London, UK, where I was responsible for managing the global expansion of Prime Video.

In January 2025, I joined HFM as chief strategy officer, my current role, becoming responsible for the company’s business and product strategy, as well as its overall customer experience (CX).

What drove you to HFM?

Abu-Hamdan: First and foremost, I loved HFM’s global vision. Its aggressive and ambitious expansion strategy makes it one of the fastest-growing brokers in the industry. Most importantly, HFM’s commitment to innovation and developing trader-centric solutions aligned perfectly with my passion for market growth.

Second, the company’s commitment to excellence is truly unmatched. Over the years, HFM has built a strong reputation for trust, transparency, and top-tier trading conditions. The company’s focus on client success and trading technology made it an ideal place to contribute and thrive.

Third, I was excited by HFM’s cutting-edge approach to trading products, automation, and partnerships — all intertwined in an innovation-driven culture. The opportunity to shape the company’s commercial strategy, refine its offerings, and expand into new markets was a challenge I couldn’t resist.

Last but not least, the dynamic leadership and team were essential factors. HFM is powered by high-calibre professionals and a forward-thinking leadership team. Collaborating with such a talented group has been incredibly motivating and rewarding.

Koukaki: In addition to what my colleague has said, I was looking for a change of industry. So, after nearly a decade in video streaming, I thought retail trading was my next best move. And indeed it was; it’s a richer and more fulfilling role.

What does a day in your life as an HFM executive look like?

Abu-Hamdan: Every day at HFM is fast-paced, dynamic, and results-driven. Strategic vision blends with hands-on execution to drive growth and innovation. I analyse real-time market trends and client feedback to refine our commercial strategy, with a focus on high-potential regions, including Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa as well as other geographic locations, where we’re now expanding our outreach through strategic partnerships with fintech firms and other institutional players.

My role is extremely exciting because it’s cross-functional. I work closely with business development executives to on-board affiliates and introduce brokers, ensuring their practices align with HFM’s mission. I also collaborate with our tech teams to enhance tools such as the Market Manager, which streamlines order management and risk analysis.

Recently, AI has been on my radar as we integrate AI-powered tools into our platforms to help us anticipate our clients’ needs more accurately and send them predictive margin alerts and other communications to improve their decision-making.

In a nutshell, not a day looks the same. Team leadership is a balancing act, engaging agility with precision and laser-focused communication skills to ensure everyone adheres to the same values of high quality, efficiency, and transparency.

Koukaki: Every day is as dynamic as it is exciting. Mornings are usually for cross-functional alignment, as that’s when we have most of our debriefs. I generally sit down with most of my executives to assess real-time metrics, KPIs, and so on. These sessions aren’t just status checks; they’re opportunities to reassess organisational efficiency and competitiveness.

Midday is dedicated to articulating our growth strategy. I’m now working with all cross-functional stakeholders, including Hayel, on creating our three-year business plan, ensuring every item on the road map aligns with HFM’s medium and long-term goals. 

Afternoons are usually for competitor analyses, regulatory changes, industry trends, emerging technologies, and the like. In my position, I have to keep tabs on everything that goes around and comes around in the online trading space. Gathering feedback from all teams and translating that into actionable insights is one of my main goals.

Where do you see HFM in five years?

Abu-Hamdan: HFM is set to become a global multi-asset brokerage. We will continue to expand into emerging markets over the next five years, aiming to become a household name in online trading.

Technology innovation, AI-driven analytics tools, and automation to enhance risk management and trading efficiency are my top priorities going forward.

Trader education, community building, and reward programmes alongside strengthening our brand footprint through global and regional partnerships with fintech and liquidity providers will solidify our position.

We’re also looking into ways of expanding our crypto trading services by deepening our crypto liquidity pools, 24/7 access, and seamless digital asset integration, ensuring that HFM leads the way in crypto trading.

Ultimately, my goal is to set new benchmarks for innovation, customer satisfaction, and regulatory compliance, building on HFM’s legacy as a pioneer in global online trading.

Koukaki: My aim is to build HFM as a living, breathing organism that evolves with the market’s pulse. Whether it’s restructuring teams to mirror client journeys or embedding sustainability metrics into our tech stack, every decision is a step towards redefining what’s possible in global finance.

That said, I believe HFM is well en route to becoming a global trading force five years from now. We have both the resources and the innovative power to do it.

To explore HFM’s full offering and test-drive its platform, register here.

This article was sponsored by HFM.

^{* HF Markets SA (Pty) Ltd is regulated by the Financial Sector Conduct Authority in SA as a Financial Service Provider (FSP number 46632). Trading leveraged products such as forex and derivatives may not be suitable for all investors, carries a high degree of risk and may involve capital loss.}