Agent to Agent - A Story of FinTech Evolution

FinTech Recruitment and the Future of AI

In the latest episode of FinTech Focus TV, hosted by Toby Babb, two titans of trading technology return to the spotlight: Anvar Karimson, Group Chief Technology Officer at Kepler Cheuvreux, and Andrew Mahoney, Managing Director at FlexTrade. This rich and engaging episode explores the transformational power of artificial intelligence in capital markets, highlighting the seismic shifts taking place across the front office and the vital importance of partnerships, innovation, and talent in making it all happen.

At Harrington Starr, a leading FinTech recruitment business, we understand how critical it is to connect forward-thinking firms with the talent they need to lead this change. This episode offers an excellent example of what happens when the right minds, tools, and motivations collide—delivering revolutionary technology at unprecedented speed.

AI-Driven Trading Technology: The Journey from Conversation to Implementation

What began as a casual conversation between Anvar and Andrew only weeks before TradeTech 2024 quickly evolved into a full-scale, production-ready integration of agent-to-agent communication capabilities. Their collaboration between Kepler Cheuvreux and FlexTrade—two established names in FinTech innovation—demonstrates not only the power of AI but also the agility that comes from a strong, aligned partnership.

The initial foundation for the project was laid in 2023–2024, when FlexTrade integrated Kepler Cheuvreux’s KCX pre-trade analytics via a REST API. This allowed FlexTrade clients to access live data, including volatility predictions and volume metrics, directly within their EMS blotter. While the API itself was technically straightforward, the value it delivered to clients was enormous. It rapidly became one of the most adopted features within FlexTrade’s offering, used by around 70% of their client base.

When Anvar revealed his team’s plan to develop a bot powered by language models, Andrew immediately saw the opportunity to build on the groundwork they had already laid. FlexTrade had previously developed an internal AI agent—Flex AI—which could interpret natural language queries and translate them into API commands. By combining this with KCX’s real-time data, the two firms were able to create a functional, client-ready solution in just two weeks.

FinTech Talent and the Pace of Progress: The Role of Recruitment

As a FinTech recruiter, Harrington Starr has seen time and again that the ability to adapt quickly and innovate under pressure sets leading firms apart. This story is not just about the success of a technology project; it’s about the calibre of the people behind it. Anvar and Andrew were able to bring their vision to life not because of a mandate or commercial contract, but because of a shared passion for technology and a drive to push the boundaries of what’s possible.

The timeline is striking—just two weeks from concept to delivery, ready in time for TradeTech. This pace is unheard of in most sectors of financial services, where development cycles can take months or even years. Their ability to deliver real-time, production-level AI capabilities shows what’s possible with the right team, structure, and mindset.

Agent-to-Agent Communication in FinTech: A Paradigm Shift

One of the most significant takeaways from the episode is the rise of agent-to-agent communication. As Andrew explains, this allows systems to “talk” to each other on behalf of users, automating tasks and enabling more intelligent, efficient decision-making. For instance, a trader using FlexTrade can issue a natural language query—such as “What’s the volume prediction for this order?”—and the system will route the request to KCX’s bot for an immediate response.

This seamless interaction removes the traditional barriers that exist between systems and organisations. Historically, integrating with counterparties required extensive back-and-forth testing, fixed certifications, and manual workflows. With agent-to-agent communication, queries are instantly processed and responded to, bypassing those legacy challenges.

This not only speeds up execution but also unlocks richer insights and better outcomes for clients. From a FinTech hiring perspective, it also creates demand for professionals who understand distributed systems, AI integration, and data orchestration at scale—an area where Harrington Starr continues to connect top talent with industry leaders.

Breaking the Mold: Open Ecosystems and FinTech Collaboration

Throughout the episode, both guests emphasise the importance of openness in FinTech. In the past, financial institutions often guarded their technology like trade secrets. But today, openness is a competitive advantage. Anvar and Andrew both insist that open APIs and flexible infrastructure are non-negotiable if firms want to remain relevant in an AI-first world.

Andrew is blunt: “Unless you're open, you're dead.” It’s a statement that reflects a broader industry shift. Closed systems are increasingly seen as obstacles to innovation, while those embracing interoperability and shared standards are leading the charge. At Harrington Starr, we see the hiring implications of this every day. Firms are searching for engineers, architects, and product specialists who understand how to build for scale, integrate seamlessly, and support collaborative development models.

The collaboration between FlexTrade and KCX is particularly inspiring because it wasn’t driven by commercial necessity. There was no contract, no external pressure. The partnership was born from mutual curiosity, excitement, and a belief in the transformative power of AI. That mindset is what distinguishes industry leaders from laggards—and it’s exactly the kind of mindset we look for when helping our clients hire for growth.

Security, Governance, and the Future of FinTech AI

Of course, innovation doesn’t come without risk. Anvar and Andrew are keenly aware of the challenges around data governance, access control, and security. As Anvar notes, KCX’s existing API serves up anonymised, public-facing data. The next step—offering clients direct access to their own data—requires new layers of security and access management. That’s where current development efforts are focused.

Andrew adds that Flex AI is designed to be “sandboxed,” meaning it cannot access unauthorised information even if it misinterprets a user’s query. This is essential in preventing data leakage and maintaining compliance—a growing concern as AI becomes more embedded in financial workflows.

The conversation touches on the importance of chain-of-custody frameworks to track how data flows through various systems and agents. These are critical considerations for FinTech hiring, particularly in compliance-heavy roles. Professionals with a background in data privacy, cybersecurity, and AI ethics will be essential to the next phase of growth in this space.

Enhancing Efficiency and Productivity Through AI Integration

One of the main benefits of these advancements is improved productivity. By allowing traders to interact with systems using natural language, firms can eliminate the need for complex menu structures, reduce training time, and empower users to make faster, more informed decisions.

Anvar shares his excitement about upcoming capabilities from partners like OpenAI and Anthropic, which will enable bots to perform deep research across custom datasets. Imagine being able to ask your AI agent to analyse 12 months of trading history and deliver a 20-page report with actionable insights. These are not theoretical possibilities—they’re coming to market, and they’re going to change how financial professionals work.

This is where the hiring landscape will see a dramatic shift. At Harrington Starr, we’re already seeing an uptick in demand for data scientists, machine learning engineers, and AI product managers. But there’s also a growing need for hybrid talent—individuals who can bridge the gap between traditional finance and modern technology. These professionals are the future of FinTech.

Reimagining the Front Office: The Vision for FinTech in 2025 and Beyond

Andrew paints a compelling vision for the front office of the future—one where systems are no longer siloed, but interconnected via AI agents. In this world, a portfolio manager could issue a single query that gets routed to an OMS, PMS, EMS, or even a counterparty like KCX, with no need to know which system holds the answer.

The practical implications are profound. FlexTrade envisions a dashboard that builds itself based on user needs. You might request to see your Eurodollar positions, recent trades, and market liquidity, and the system would assemble the appropriate views from multiple systems, instantly.

This kind of dynamic, modular architecture changes everything. It will require a new breed of FinTech talent—people who are not only skilled in systems architecture and API development but who also understand user experience, compliance, and business logic. Harrington Starr is uniquely positioned to support this evolution, having built a reputation for placing the most forward-thinking candidates into roles that shape the future of finance.

Advice for the FinTech Community: Embrace Change or Be Left Behind

As the episode concludes, Toby asks both guests to share their advice for firms trying to navigate this fast-changing environment. Anvar’s response is clear: assume that whatever you know today will be outdated tomorrow. Organisations must build cultures that support experimentation, rapid feedback, and continual learning. Waiting for perfect conditions or complete certainty is no longer viable.

Andrew reinforces this, warning that the rate of evolution is only going to accelerate. Firms that haven’t already invested in a robust data architecture will struggle to compete. AI, after all, is only as good as the data it runs on. Bad data leads to bad outcomes—and in a high-stakes environment like capital markets, that could be catastrophic.

He also highlights the influence of consumer technology on enterprise software. As tools like voice interfaces, neural input devices, and generative agents gain traction, their impact on financial services will be profound. FinTech leaders must keep one eye on Silicon Valley as they chart their path forward.

Conclusion: FinTech Recruitment for an Industry in Motion

This episode of FinTech Focus TV is a testament to the power of collaboration, innovation, and strategic thinking in financial technology. Anvar Karimson and Andrew Mahoney show us that when passionate professionals are given the freedom to explore, incredible things can happen—fast.

Harrington Starr is a leading FinTech recruitment company specialising in connecting top talent with the most innovative businesses across the financial technology landscape. With offices in London, New York, and Belfast, we support clients globally by sourcing exceptional candidates for permanent, contract, and executive-level roles. Our expertise spans a broad range of FinTech disciplines—including software engineering, quantitative finance, infrastructure support, product management, sales and marketing, and data and cloud technologies. At the heart of our approach is a commitment to adding long-term value, fostering trusted partnerships, and helping organisations build the teams they need to drive growth, innovation, and transformation in a rapidly evolving market.