Q&A sessions with Tom Higgins, CEO & Founder of fintech company Gold-i

Welcome to an exciting and cutting edge new series on FinanceFeeds.

“Industry Influencers” takes a look at the entrepreneurs and companies which are making great steps in the FX and electronic trading industry in terms of innovation, creativity and leadership.

In the second chapter of the first part of the series, FinanceFeeds sits down with the CEOs of this industry to find out more about them, how they got where they are today and what their thoughts are on the way that this business will move forward.

Full name: Tom Higgins

Company: Gold-i

Time with company: 7 years

Years in the industry: Almost 30 years

City of residence: Guildford, Surrey, England

Tell us a little about yourself

I am the founder and CEO of Gold-i which I set up in 2008 after spotting a gap in the market for specialist software to help MT4 brokers to operate more efficiently and profitably.

I am proud to say the company is now a world leading FinTech organisation with a global client base, renowned for its innovation, industry first products, strong focus on customer service and ethical approach to business.

Prior to Gold-i, I spent most of my career working in financial technology in the City, London. Previous employment includes Chief Technology Officer at online brokerage, ODL Securities, COO Europe and Asia at Reuters and Head of IT Business Strategy at NYSE Euronext.

I have an MBA from Cass Business School as well as four children, 2 dogs, 2 cats, 6 chickens, 1 horse and 1 wife!

What was your journey like to get to where you are today?

Having worked for large organisations in the City for over 20 years and reached a senior level as Chief Technology Officer, it was a big decision and a huge risk to decide to set up my own business.

I didn’t have any external funding to start the business so I offered technology consultancy to fund the development of our first product, the Gold-i Bridge. We’ve been profitable since the first year of trading and have never had any external funding.

When I set up Gold-i, I had a wealth of experience in software development and technology strategies. However, I had limited involvement with the broader issues of running a business such as business planning, financial management, marketing, recruitment strategies and employee engagement.

Setting up my own business involved a steep learning curve – and I I’ve really benefited from regular CEO mentoring sessions to discuss and share ideas with leaders from other industry sectors.

I’ve enjoyed the challenges and highlights of running a fast growth company. Some of the biggest highlights have been opening an office in China –our first office outside the UK – and winning a Queen’s Award for Enterprise for Innovation, which resulted in my wife and I being invited to Buckingham Palace to meet the Queen – Tom Higgins, CEO, Gold-i

What are some of the things you enjoy outside of work?

With four children ranging from toddler to teenager I have limited time to myself.

At the moment, I spend a lot of time driving our horsebox to horse races as my daughter competes at events across the South East of England. In any spare time which I manage to get, I love looking after my 1964 convertible Triumph Herald.

I’ve recently started going to the gym and I’m enjoying it far more than I ever imagined I would!

One word that describes you?

This was a difficult one for me to answer so I asked Gold-i employees to describe me. The one word responses I received were benevolent, resplendent and pioneering.

What was your biggest challenge to date that you’ve had to overcome?

Starting a business from scratch in a recession with no funding available was probably the single biggest challenge.

What are your thoughts on where the industry is heading?

There is definitely an increased focus on automation. I also think the market is becoming more and more professional and less speculative. Investors are far more considered.