Under 30: the industry’s future leaders. Meet Sami Mana
Under 30 and moving up the ranks. We talk to Sami Mana, Chief of Staff at Leverate, to find out how he got into the industry and what he does daily.
In an industry so well established with roots in all four corners of the globe we took time to discuss what the industry will look like in 10 to 20 years from now.
Whilst we all share different views on where the industry will end up or what it will morph into, the fact is that we forget the many good folk working in the industry. Especially the younger generation that started at the bottom and worked their way up essentially dedicating their careers to fintech, trading and finance.
As is a FinanceFeeds tradition, we decided to celebrate these hard working individuals that have and very well may become the future industry leaders as they move up the ranks. So without further adieu, meet the industry’s future leaders (all under the age of 30).
Years in the business:
7
What is your role at Leverate?
As Chief of Staff I maintain oversight of the company’s direction. I direct cross-company projects, day to day operations, I keep a direct pulse on our clients and on the market.
How many years have you been at Leverate?
7 years
When did you start in the industry?
7 years ago
What attracted you to / made you get into this industry?
When I started to work at Leverate I was a student and this was an industry I knew nothing about, but I saw the opportunity to work at an incredibly innovative company in its very early stages in an industry that was very incipient and I realized that this would challenge my creativity and would help me grow tremendously by allowing me to take part in various aspects of the company.
I see the FinTech sector today and I see an industry that is exciting, that is innovative and constantly changing and those were the things that attracted me to it 7 years ago and that still attract me today. Another thing that I really like about FinTech is the fact that it has the ability to answers brokerages’ need from A to Z and offer a versatile and broad range of solutions.
Any tips for others looking at getting into the industry?
If you are looking to start your own brokerage, my advice is to look for ways to get out of the red ocean, to differentiate your brokerage from the rest when it comes to acquisition, conversion and retention. If you are looking to begin working in the FinTech industry, my advice is to find you added value, what you can bring to the table that nobody else can.
Monitor the market and prepare yourself for change. This is a rapidly changing industry and to succeed, you must be ready to adapt quickly, to be flexible and to predict where the market is going so you can move quickly not just with it, but ahead of it.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
I started at Leverate as a student when it was a company of just seven employees, in an industry I knew nothing about and that was very incipient and I’ve had the ability to work in every aspect of the company, to grow as an individual and as a professional, and that has allowed me to gain a skill set that is invaluable.
I have been able through all these years to see a company grow, to maintain consistency in my professionalism and to establish a large network of people and I feel this is a great accomplishment.
What is your vision for the FX industry?
I see the industry facing drastic changes in several aspects. Regulation is one such aspect which is dramatically shaping the industry. New territories are becoming regulated and previously regulated ones are becoming stricter in their enforcement. We also see medium-size brokers consolidating with one another in order to compete with larger, more established brokerages.
The way in which brokerages approach and set up their risk management is also changing. We have seen time and time again brokerages exiting the market because they are unable to stand the pressure of a black-swan type event. Risk management is more and more becoming a key aspect of the successful operation of a brokerage.
I also see the need for tremendous change in the acquisition, conversion and retention (ACR) process. The way in which brokerages develop their marketing strategies and address their ACR funnels has to be much more automated in order to reduce costs and achieve better returns. Another aspect of the industry that is changing is the need for geo-expansion.
For brokerages to strive in a market as competitive as ours, they need to look beyond their backyards. Asia, the middle east, these are regions that offer tremendous opportunities for brokers looking to expand. And last but not least, the target market is changing. As brokerages become more sophisticated and established, they are able to become better money managers and manage investments such as an individual’s pension fund for example.
We are today in an industry that is vastly different from what it was 6 years ago and when we look back 6 years from now, we will see an entirely different landscape.
Meet other “up and comers under 30” – view all the profiles.
