Global provider of financial services software applications Finastra has announced that chief executive officer Simon Paris will step down after nearly a decade, and has appointed Chris Walters as his successor.
Walters has joined Finastra and will assume the role of chief executive officer.
It has been confirmed that during the leadership transition period, Paris and Walters will work closely together to ensure a smooth handover.
L-R: Outgoing chief executive officer Simon Paris and Chris Walters
Walters most recently served as chief executive officer of Pluralsight and Avantax, prior to which he worked in a variety of leadership roles, including as a partner at McKinsey & Company and the chief operating officer of Bloomberg Industry Verticals Group.
Walters said: “I’m excited to join Finastra at this pivotal moment in its journey and am impressed by the significant progress that has been made during Simon’s leadership.
“I look forward to working with the talented team to drive sustainable growth and continue to deliver more value to our customers, team members, and investors.”
Paris oversaw the merger of Misys and D+H in 2017 to form Finastra.
Now, Finastra’s financial services software applications span lending, payments, treasury and capital markets, and retail and digital banking, and the company has a “vision” to “accelerate the future of Open Finance”. It has a customer base of more than 8,000 clients in 130 countries.
Outgoing chief executive officer Paris added: “This journey with Finastra has been a privilege. Chris is a seasoned professional, and I am honored to ‘pass the baton’ to him.
“I leave incredibly proud of what Finastra has achieved so far and excited for the company’s future under Chris’s leadership.”
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