Financial services software provider Finastra has announced a leadership transition, appointing Chris Walters as its new CEO.
Walters steps into the role following Simon Paris, who is stepping down after nearly a decade at the helm.
Chris Walters brings a wealth of experience from his previous roles, including as CEO of Pluralsight and Avantax, a financial services firm.
During his tenure at Avantax, Chris oversaw significant performance improvements and led the company through a successful sale.
His leadership background also includes roles as Partner at McKinsey & Company and COO at Bloomberg Industry Verticals Group.
Under Simon Paris’ leadership, Finastra achieved key milestones, including expanding its reach to over 8,000 clients across 130 countries, with 45 of the world’s top 50 banks among its customers.
The company strengthened its position in Open Finance following the merger of Misys and D+H in 2017 and made strides in generative AI, upskilling employees and advancing approximately 50 AI capabilities from ideation to production stages.
Chris and Simon will work closely during the transition to ensure continuity.
Chris 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.”
Simon 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.”
