Simon Paris: Leading the Charge in Finastra’s Open Finance Shift

Since June 2018, Simon Paris has been leading Finastra, one of the largest fintech firms globally.

Simon’s professional journey began at McKinsey & Company, where he developed as a senior consultant. His corporate strategy expertise was showcased through his involvement in significant projects, including Latin American IPOs for a major telecommunications firm and a cross-border merger in the consumer goods sector across EMEA.

After leaving McKinsey, Simon took on several leadership roles at Infor Global Solutions, ultimately serving as Vice President of EMEA Global Accounts. His career trajectory included various positions, such as Vice President of Global Accounts at SSA Global and Executive Vice President at Baan.

Simon experienced a pivotal moment in his career when he joined SAP in 2007. Over the next eight years, he occupied several key roles within the company, demonstrating his capacity to lead and foster innovation in technology.

His various titles included Vice President of Large Enterprise Accounts for South Europe and EMEA, Senior Vice President and Managing Director for EMEA Emerging Markets, Executive Vice President and Global Head of Banking, and, lastly, President of Industry Cloud.

Transforming Finastra for the Digital Era

In June 2015, Simon became the President and Chief Sales Officer of Finastra, previously known as Misys. His remarkable leadership and visionary strategy led to swift advancements within the organization.

He was promoted to President in June 2016, later becoming Deputy CEO in June 2017, and then ascended to the role of CEO in June 2018.

Under Simon’s direction, Finastra has achieved notable progress in the fintech industry. He has guided the company toward realizing its open finance vision, promoting industry collaboration to spur innovation and reinvent financial services.

“We are transforming the way financial software is created, deployed, and used within the financial services sector,” Simon explains. “The opportunities that lie ahead are immense, and with the backing of our board, I am excited to take our employees, customers, and partners along this journey,” he stated upon becoming CEO, as reported by The Asian Banker.

Simon’s dedication to open finance is reflected in Finastra’s launch of FusionFabric.cloud, an open platform for innovation that has emerged as a leading force in the sector since its debut in 2017.

This platform encapsulates Simon’s aspiration for a more cooperative and innovative financial services landscape.

Prioritizing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Outside of his work at Finastra, Simon is the chair of the World Trade Board, an organization that unites global leaders, innovative minds, and industry influencers from various fields including trade, finance, and commerce.

Simon is also a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion in the workplace. His initiatives in this area have garnered recognition, with Finastra receiving the Vista CEO Award for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG).

The impact of Simon’s leadership reaches beyond Finastra. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors for Thomson Reuters, applying his extensive fintech experience to one of the world’s foremost information services companies.

Simon envisions a bright and ambitious future for financial services. He believes the industry is transitioning toward a more open and collaborative model, propelled by technological advancements and evolving customer expectations.

“The future of finance is open,” Simon proclaims. “Open technology, open APIs, open standards, open ecosystems, open banking – it’s difficult to think of a successful organization today that isn’t ‘open’ in some capacity,” he commented in an interview with Trade Finance Global.

This vision extends beyond technology to creating a financial system that is more inclusive and accessible. Simon is dedicated to leveraging technology and open trade to drive financial access and improve lives. His focus at Finastra is on harnessing the company’s technological capabilities and global presence to foster a positive social impact.

Under Simon’s guidance, Finastra has amassed several accolades, and he himself has been recognized as a leading CEO, appearing in Bank Innovation’s ‘Innovators to Watch’ list in 2018 and being named a top 50 CEO by the Financial Technology Report every year since 2020.

Today, Simon is steering Finastra toward a future characterized by openness, collaboration, and inclusivity in finance.

“Finastra holds a unique position within the fintech landscape,” Simon remarked upon his elevation to CEO. “We are revolutionizing how financial software is created, utilized, and delivered, and I am deeply honored to lead the company through this remarkable transformation.”