Movers & Shakers! FXPRIMUS senior exec Helen Astaniou talks theatrical talent, football sponsorship and commercial growth

A new year, a new era of innovation, and in the fast-moving FX industry, those at the cutting edge who are not content with simply going through the motions and emulating their peers before heading home at the end of the working day will likely reveal yet more industry-changing developments.

To give an insight into the personality, charisma and just what makes such things happen, FinanceFeeds met with some of the movers and shakers of the industry for an open and casual discussion on what the industry is likely to look like, with a splash of comedy for those who appreciate.

What’s new?

New Year, new plans, new projects, new us! The New Year forces us to reflect on the last year, and see what improvements we can make, so that 2016 becomes another success story. Planning of course, is not new. And it’s not easy either!

But the ideas, the brainstorming, and the effort that you put into the planning process are all worth their weight in gold. Danger zones? The forex industry in particular is notorious for using, reusing, and reusing again old ideas, so we are constantly challenged to find innovative ways to present ourselves to our customers. Luckily for us, our dynamo team is up to the challenge!

OK, so nobody is perfect. What is the biggest thing you can improve on from last year?

I would say my biggest learning from last year is to avoid transfats! Partial hydrogenated oils are my enemy. Professionally-speaking, trial – error – succeed – repeat – review – optimize…. is a requirement in this field of work. A marketing professional can never afford to rest on his or her laurels and believe the job is done.

Just as the only constant is change, one must stay ahead of the game by being ready to adapt, improve or optimize a campaign at the flick of a switch. This year we will be focusing heavily on reporting mechanisms for every facet of our marketing campaigns and business as a whole, so that we can fully understand our weaknesses and strengths, in order to continually improve our services and offerings.

Funniest thing/ incident that happened in the office last year? Any cringe / epic fail moments?

Most amusing for me was the festive video that was made in our headquarters in December. The filming turned into an opportunity for all the amateur thespians in the office to showcase their dramatic talents. We have quite a talented team it turns out! Perhaps Tarantino would consider casting his next movie in Limassol? We won’t disappoint!

If we are sitting here in one year from now discussing what you as a company have achieved in 2016, what do you hope to be the big achievements?

In all seriousness, 2015 was a big year for FXPRIMUS and will be a tough act to follow.

Whilst last year, we took onboard our new football sponsorship, we established our Limassol HQ, grew our team (not least to mention Marshall Gittler joining) and expanded into new markets, this year our priorities have evolved. We have some rather exciting projects on the horizon that our traders of all experience levels can be part of, to enhance their trading experience. At the very core of our operations remains our commitment to safety, and to pioneering new ways to protect our client funds.

If your company morphed into a super-hero or animal in 2016; what would it be?

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No! It’s SUPERPRIMUS. Protector of funds, safe-guarder against volatility, champion of security!