Capitolis, a financial technology company focused on optimizing capital markets, has appointed Okan Pekin as President as the company accelerates its next phase of expansion and product innovation. Pekin will be based in London and will report directly to Gil Mandelzis, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Capitolis.
The appointment brings more than three decades of global financial services leadership to Capitolis at a time when the company is scaling its platform, expanding client relationships, and deepening its presence across global capital markets. Pekin previously served on the Capitolis board for five years, representing Citi, giving him deep familiarity with the company’s strategy, technology, and market positioning.
Pekin retired from Citi in April after a 35-year career that included several senior executive roles. Most recently, he served as Global Head of Securities Services, overseeing a $5 billion global business and driving significant client growth. His prior leadership positions at Citi included leading Equity Prime Finance, Futures and Clearing, and FX Prime Brokerage, as well as holding senior roles across Investor Services, FX, Local Markets, Derivatives Sales in Europe, and Debt Capital Markets for Frequent Issuers. Throughout his career, Pekin has been recognized for building, scaling, and managing complex global franchises.
In his new role, Pekin will work closely with Mandelzis and the executive leadership team to help manage the increasing complexity of Capitolis’ operations, products, and client base, while supporting continued innovation and long-term growth. His transition from board member to senior executive follows a period of strong momentum for the company, marked by new product launches, expanded client adoption, strategic bank investments, and the acquisition of Capitalab, BGC Group’s compression and optimization business.
Pekin’s appointment also builds on a series of recent senior leadership hires as Capitolis continues to strengthen its executive team. These include Richard Schiffman as Chief Product Officer, Amol Naik as Chief Operating Officer, and Melanie Carucci as Global Head of Sales, all of whom are aimed at supporting the company’s rapid expansion and evolving platform capabilities.
With Pekin stepping into the presidency, Capitolis is positioning itself to scale its business further globally, deepen partnerships with major financial institutions, and advance innovation across capital markets infrastructure.
KEY QUOTES:
“Capitolis has grown tremendously and now, we’re preparing for our next phase and focusing on what’s needed to continue our momentum. With that growth comes complexity across our business, products, clients, and delivery, and getting this right is critical to maximizing our potential. **I’m thrilled to welcome Okan, someone I know and trust, who brings exceptional experience and a proven track record of delivering at scale in global financial services with the highest level of professionalism. I am confident about our future and excited about the opportunity to continue to deepen strategic client relationships, drive further product innovation, and advance our long-term growth,”
Gil Mandelzis, Chief Executive Officer And Founder, Capitolis
“I am honored to join Capitolis as President at this pivotal moment and believe we are building a truly consequential global company that will have a lasting, meaningful impact on the financial services industry. **Having worked with this talented team over the years, I’m eager to get started and look forward to partnering with Gil to scale the business by driving excellence and expanding our platform as we continue to innovate,”
Okan Pekin, President, Capitolis
“The directors and senior management of Capitolis have gotten to know Okan from his distinguished service on our board. **We are excited that among many options he has now chosen to join us as President and are confident that Okan is the right leader to propel Capitolis into its next stage of growth,”
Tom Glocer, Executive Chairman And Co-Founder, Capitolis
