The Real-World Impact of AI on Trading Workflows

Building Better Futures in FinTech:

Recorded live at the FIX EMEA Trading Conference 2025 – Hosted by Nadia on FinTech’s DEI Discussions

At the 2025 FIX EMEA Trading Conference, FinTech’s DEI Discussions captured a powerful and timely conversation between host Nadia and Rachel Przybylski, the Chief Product Officer at SIGMA. In a discussion that spans leadership, inclusion, AI innovation, and career journeys, Rachel shares her unique perspective as someone who has traversed the full spectrum of financial services—from the trading floor to product leadership at a startup. This episode is a must-listen for anyone passionate about shaping an inclusive future for FinTech and driving innovation through diverse thinking.

As a FinTech recruitment business, Harrington Starr is proud to highlight voices like Rachel’s—leaders who are not only building cutting-edge technology but also setting the standard for inclusive cultures, impactful leadership, and purposeful hiring strategies.

From Institutional Finance to FinTech Startups: A Leap of Faith

Rachel’s career spans a range of financial institutions:

• Exchanges
• Brokers
• Sell-side banks
• Buy-side investment firms
• And now, as a vendor in the FinTech space

This depth of experience gives her a unique lens on the industry. She explains how these roles, each with different cultures, structures, and expectations, helped her develop a "jack of all trades" skill set—complemented by deep expertise in regulatory frameworks.

Her current role at SIGMA, a market analytics firm specialising in artificial intelligence, marks a significant pivot in her career. Leaving the familiarity of institutional finance for the fast-paced world of startups was, in her words, a “leap of faith.” What drove that leap? Leadership and culture.

Rachel cites Andrew Simpson, SIGMA’s CEO, as a pivotal reason for joining the company. Having worked with him before, she trusted his commitment to building a business rooted in people-first values. That kind of leadership alignment is increasingly vital in today’s FinTech hiring landscape—especially for candidates seeking not just a job, but a sense of purpose and impact.

Inside SIGMA: AI Innovation and Real-World Applications

SIGMA is at the forefront of FinTech innovation, harnessing the power of:

• Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Machine Learning (ML)
• Natural Language Processing
• Agent-based AI applications (often referred to as “RAG” or retrieval-augmented generation agents)

Rachel describes these agent-style applications as "little agents that go out to get information and create natural language content" for a range of real-world use cases. SIGMA also works in close partnership with firms from other sectors—such as geometry—to develop impactful tools that are already making waves in the financial technology space.

This innovation-first mindset places SIGMA among the growing class of FinTech startups leading the charge in transforming how data and intelligence are used in financial markets.

The Power of Diverse Thinking and Inclusive Cultures

As the conversation shifts to diversity, Rachel is open and honest. SIGMA, though small, is making great strides in creating an inclusive environment. While there may not yet be formal breakdowns of gender or other demographics, two of the firm’s senior leaders—Rachel and the Head of Corporate Strategy—are women. This signals an intentional approach to inclusive leadership from the outset.

SIGMA’s diversity doesn’t stop at gender:

• The company is geographically flexible in its hiring, with team members spread across regions outside of London
• SIGMA is exploring Manchester as a future hub, recognising the tech talent available in the North of England
• There’s an emphasis on finding the best person for the job, regardless of location—a strategy that aligns with the future of work and remote-first hiring

This approach reflects what we at Harrington Starr have long believed: diverse teams create stronger products, better outcomes, and more resilient organisations.

Rachel adds a deeply personal perspective to the conversation. As a parent of a neurodivergent child, she has developed a deeper appreciation for diverse ways of thinking. Looking back on her own career, she sees how critical different cognitive styles and backgrounds have been in pushing companies forward.

“The more diverse a group of people in the room, the better the outcomes will be.”

This comment rings particularly true for FinTech companies trying to solve complex problems—from trading systems and risk management to AI-driven analytics. Neurodiversity, racial equity, gender inclusion, and geographical flexibility must all be part of the conversation if the industry is to reach its full potential.

Women in Trading: From One of the Only to One of Many

Rachel also reflects on her time on the trading floor—a space where, historically, women were few and far between.

“I was one of the only girls on the trading floor when I started... I couldn’t quite understand why more girls wouldn’t want to, but then at the same time, we can list all the reasons why more girls wouldn’t have wanted to.”

Today, that landscape is beginning to shift. Rachel has seen more women enter trading, portfolio management, and investment analysis roles, and she’s encouraged by the progress. But she’s quick to emphasise the importance of maintaining momentum and ensuring that all diversity initiatives—whether gender, neurodiversity, or socio-economic inclusion—stay active and intentional.

This focus on representation, particularly in leadership roles, mirrors the priorities we see across the FinTech hiring market. Candidates and clients alike are increasingly looking for evidence of values in action, not just on paper.

Building the Right Culture from the Start

Culture is a recurring theme throughout the episode. Rachel sees SIGMA’s small size as an advantage, allowing for a close-knit, almost family-style environment. However, she’s also seen large firms lead on culture by promoting values from the top down. Whether in a startup or an established institution, she believes authenticity in leadership is key to creating environments where people can thrive.

“You don’t want to feel like it’s a political game every hour that you spend at work. It’s really important that we’re more authentic, honest, and open.”

This philosophy is closely aligned with our mission at Harrington Starr. As a FinTech recruitment partner, we work with clients to help them build not only high-performing teams, but workplaces where people want to stay. Authentic leadership, open communication, and psychological safety are fast becoming non-negotiables for top talent.

Rachel’s reflections offer an important takeaway for founders, hiring managers, and HR teams: culture isn’t a perk—it’s a competitive advantage.

AI in Trading Workflows: Real-World Impact and Ethical Considerations

Towards the end of the episode, Rachel previews her panel at the FIX EMEA Trading Conference 2025, where she’s speaking on AI and the future of trading workflows. The panel includes:

• Two vendors (including SIGMA)
• One sell-side representative
• One buy-side representative

This diversity of viewpoints ensures a rich and well-rounded discussion about how AI is shaping the future of trading. Rachel’s focus is on real-world applications—not just theory. She’s excited to share how SIGMA is building tools that solve tangible problems and how the broader ecosystem is evolving to embrace intelligent automation.

She also addresses the importance of diversity in AI development. Because AI systems reflect the perspectives of their creators, it’s crucial to have diverse teams shaping the design and deployment of these technologies. If we want AI to be inclusive, ethical, and effective, we must prioritise diverse thinking from the outset.

This point is especially relevant for FinTech hiring teams looking to expand their AI and data science capabilities. Building technical teams with inclusive hiring practices is no longer just a "nice to have"—it’s a strategic imperative.

Open for Connection and Collaboration

Rachel closes the conversation with a message of openness. She encourages listeners to connect with her via LinkedIn or the SIGMA website and to reach out to her or her team at Harrington Starr’s FinTech Focus TV, where they’ve also shared insights in the past. SIGMA is always looking for passionate people who care about the future of AI, product innovation, and inclusive leadership.

This emphasis on connection and ongoing dialogue reflects the collaborative spirit that will define the FinTech sector in 2025. Whether through podcasts, panels, or partnerships, building the future of FinTech will require shared goals, bold thinking, and inclusive strategies.

Why This Matters to FinTech Recruitment

As a FinTech recruitment business, Harrington Starr is uniquely positioned to see the trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the industry. This episode of FinTech’s DEI Discussions provides valuable insight into what the future of work looks like in financial technology:

• Leadership that prioritises authenticity and values
• AI innovation grounded in real-world use cases
• Diversity and inclusion as drivers of performance
• Flexible hiring strategies that go beyond geography
• Workplaces built for belonging and psychological safety

Rachel Przybylski’s journey—from large financial institutions to startup leadership—is a testament to the power of purpose-driven career decisions. Her reflections show how inclusive leadership, diverse thinking, and strategic innovation can come together to shape businesses that succeed both commercially and culturally.

This episode of FinTech’s DEI Discussions, featuring Rachel Przybylski, Chief Product Officer at SIGMA, aligns closely with the mission and values of Harrington Starr as a leading FinTech recruitment firm. At its core, the conversation explores themes that are central to modern hiring—authentic leadership, inclusive cultures, neurodiversity, gender representation, remote hiring, and the future of work in financial technology.

Rachel’s journey from traditional finance to an innovative AI startup highlights the evolving career paths available in FinTech, and the importance of building environments where people from all backgrounds can thrive. As a recruitment partner to many of the industry's top firms, we see first-hand how these cultural and leadership values directly impact talent attraction and retention.

Her insights into diverse thinking, remote-first hiring strategies, and the significance of inclusion reflect what top candidates are seeking today—and what successful firms must embrace. For clients, it’s a reminder that inclusive hiring is no longer optional; it’s a competitive advantage.

At Harrington Starr, we help businesses build diverse, high-performing teams that are ready for the future of FinTech. This episode reinforces why our work goes beyond placing talent—it’s about shaping the kind of industry we all want to be part of.