NEWS22 March 2022
Gold-i takes great pride in its modern, pioneering approach and tenacious work ethic, so there’s no surprise it bagged the title of Business Innovation of the Year at the 2021 Surrey Business Awards.
This fast-growing, disruptive fintech company is shaking up the market by developing software to enhance the capabilities of foreign exchange (FX) brokers worldwide. It boasts a broad product portfolio encompassing a multi-asset liquidity management platform; a liquidity bridge with risk management features; a real-time risk management and business intelligence tool; and Crypto Switch, which enables brokers to diversify from FX and offer digital assets to clients.
Gold-i won the Business Innovation award for its Gold-i Data Switch, which has added a whole new revenue stream to the business and has enabled it to enter the hedge fund sector. “I am so proud of being a Surrey-based company,” says CEO Tom Higgins. “It was special to be able to take a whole table at the awards evening so that my wonderful staff could share the excitement of our win.”
Tom explains that, over the past year, Gold-i has built an impressive client base with its Gold-i Data Switch product and has strong new business in the pipeline. “2021 was our most successful year to date, with client acquisition at an all-time high. We have diversified our revenue streams and consolidated our position as a market-leading multi-asset liquidity management technology specialist.”
In an effort to push the boundaries, Gold-i continually invests in new product development, and all software is created by the in-house team at Surrey Research Park in Guildford. “When I started the company in 2008, I lived in Guildford, so wanted to have a local office,” says Tom. “I chose Surrey Research Park because the prices were very competitive and there was a good choice of offices available, but most importantly, the staff were so helpful and approachable, and have continued to be throughout the 13 years we’ve been here. As the business has grown, we’ve had the flexibility to upgrade our office by moving into an amazing new space on the same floor.”
To support this growth, the firm has recruited staff across all areas, from software development to marketing, sales and finance. There has been a particular focus on recruiting young talent, which, Tom and the team say, has proven very effective, bringing fresh ideas to the business.
Both Covid-19 and Brexit have, however, impacted recruitment. “Covid has resulted in interviews needing to be carried out remotely, which I find can be very impersonal, and Brexit has made it much harder to recruit people from Europe,” says Tom. “Our HR team and departmental managers have done an amazing job in working within these constraints and adapting. We have started to use DISC psychometric testing from Take Flight Learning and find that this really helps us to understand what drives people. It has enhanced the virtual recruitment process and provided us with the means to find the best possible talent.”
Gold-i has a strong identity and clear corporate values, which, Tom explains, make it a great company to work for and work with. These are: innovate, get it done and have fun. The team are committed to going above and beyond to deliver for clients and have a “wear a loud shirt” attitude, with a focus on pushing boundaries without fear or failure. Gold-i, may the innovation and growth continue!