HFM, a licensed global broker, has made a reputation for itself for its enduring success. Speaking to The Jakarta Post, Chief Commercial Officer Hayel Abu Hamdan and Chief Strategy Officer Eirini Koukaki reflect on the company’s evolution through their unique lenses, offering insights into the blend of operational excellence and forward-thinking leadership that defines HFM’s position as a benchmark in global finance.

In addition to its adaptability, HFM also serves as a platform for collaboration made up of people with different backgrounds and experiences. In this case, Hayel has over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry under his belt, with the ability to bridge the gap between institutional-grade trading solutions and retail traders. He has led commercial expansion, product innovation and strategic partnerships across various regions, helping companies strengthen their global presence.

Meanwhile, Eirini describes herself as “an engineer by trade,” with an insatiable curiosity to explore new technologies and an MBA from the prestigious London Business School and a Master of Science in Optics and Phototonics and Electrical and Computer Engineering. Prior to joining HFM, she was a senior manager at Amazon in London, responsible for expanding Prime Video.

The two have brought together their different backgrounds across various regions and fields, both ending up at HFM in order to bring it into the future. While each day comes with its own adventure to unravel, both are excited for the future they have at the company.

“My role is extremely exciting because it’s cross-functional. I work closely with Business Development Executives to onboard affiliates and Introducing Brokers (IBs), ensuring their practices align with HFM’s mission. I also collaborate with our tech teams to enhance tools such as the Market Manager, which streamlines order management and risk analysis. Recently, AI has been on my radar as we integrate AI-powered tools into our platforms to help us anticipate our clients’ needs more accurately and send them predictive margin alerts and other notifications to improve their decision-making,” Hayel said, regarding his scope of responsibility.

Furthermore, he is also responsible for analyzing real-time market trends and client feedback on HFM’s high-potential regions. He is hopeful that this work will help in expanding the company’s outreach through strategic partnerships with financial technology firms and other institutional players.

Eirini described her day as consisting of three parts: her mornings are usually spent doing status checks across functions to ensure the company is doing its best to remain efficient. This is then followed by articulating the growth potential of the company during midday to make sure that HFM is hitting the right goals and targets within a given timeline.

“Afternoons are usually for competitor analyses, regulatory changes, industry trends, emerging technologies and the like. In my position, I have to keep tabs on everything that circulates in the online trading space. Gathering feedback from all teams and translating that into actionable insights is one of my main jobs,” she finished.

With the many ambitious goals that they are trying to realize, while balancing the maintenance of customer satisfaction in order to retain their reputation, both Hayel and Eirini have to focus on their vision, both individually and collectively, of how to move HFM forward.

“First and foremost, I loved HFM’s global vision. Its aggressive and ambitious expansion strategy makes it one of the fastest-growing brokers in the industry. Most importantly, HFM’s commitment to innovation and developing trader-centric solutions aligned perfectly with my passion for market growth,” said Hayel.

He also added that the company’s commitment to excellence, evidenced by its long-standing reputation as one of the most trusted brokers, was also a pull for him to join the team. Two other reasons include HFM’s cutting-edge approach regarding the business, as well as the team itself, powered by high-caliber professionals and a forward-thinking leadership team.

Eirini, of course, is part of the team, joining in early January after looking for a change in industry and a new mountain to scale. Coincidentally, the new mountain was located closer to her backyard than her prior position across the pond.

She explained, “After nearly a decade in video streaming, I thought retail trading was my next best move. And indeed it was, as it came not only with a richer and more fulfilling role but also involved moving back to Greece from the United Kingdom. To me, joining HFM has also been a homecoming journey, if you will.”

Looking toward the future, Hayel and Eirini are optimistic that they are able to bring HFM to another level. Asked about where they imagine the company in five years, Hayel answered, “HFM is set to become a global multi-asset brokerage. We will continue to expand into emerging markets over the next five years, aiming to become a household name in online trading. Technology innovation, AI-driven analytics tools and automation to enhance risk management and trading efficiency are my top priorities going forward. Trader education, community building and reward programs alongside strengthening our brand footprint through global and regional partnerships with financial technology and liquidity providers will solidify our position.”

He added that he is also looking into ways to expand HFM’s crypto services, ensuring that they are at the forefront in crypto trading, as the world is becoming more and more aware of the sector. At the end of the day, the goal is to set new benchmarks for innovation, customer satisfaction and regulatory compliance, building on HFM’s legacy as a pioneer in global online trading, as they have done for many years.

“My aim is to build HFM as a living, breathing organism that evolves with the market’s pulse. Whether it’s restructuring teams to mirror client journeys or embedding sustainability metrics into our tech stack, every decision is a step towards redefining what’s possible in global finance. That said, I believe HFM is on the path to becoming a global trading force five years from now. We have both the resources and the innovative power to do it,” Eirini concluded.