GFT, the leading provider of business, design and technology consulting to the financial services community, has appointed Marika Lulay as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to drive international expansion and deliver transformative technologies that help clients improve their own efficiency and performance.

Lulay has a wealth of experience across financial services and technology, not least having spent the last 15 years at GFT, most recently as Chief Operating Officer. During this time, she has overseen a five-fold increase in workforce, multiple acquisitions, an expanded presence in global markets, whilst maintaining a ‘client-first’ approach, working exclusively in the finance sector.

Now operating in 12 countries with 5,000 employees, GFT’s focus on the finance sector enables the firm to provide technology solutions for clients that take account of the highly complex nature of banks and other financial service organisations.

In addition to helping clients manage and improve their legacy technologies, GFT is examining new and emerging trends to help clients create future efficiency and growth, in areas such as:

• Cloud migration – utilising GFT’s knowledge of the finance sector to manage and simplify complex migrations of individual IT systems to scalable cloud infrastructures
• Artificial intelligence - embracing robotics and the use of cognitive banking methods based on self-learning systems, to service customers better and grow revenues
• Distributed ledger adoption – practical testing of real-world use-cases in our UK blockchain incubator, such as the successful collaborative project with the Royal Bank of Scotland running on Google Cloud
• Industry 4.0 – working to integrate future financial transactions into the supply chain of traditional industries, as technology becomes ubiquitous

Lulay is passionate about new technology and in helping clients face the difficult challenge of introducing efficient new global systems, whilst managing a complex interconnected legacy of historic IT infrastructure and applications.

Marika Lulay, CEO at GFT commented; “GFT continues to ‘think global’ and ‘act local’, meaning clients are able to access transnational resources, with specialists on hand to work alongside clients at their offices, whilst experienced teams of delivery resources provide additional support from  our efficient nearshore locations. I am delighted to take on the role of CEO to drive GFT forwards in the next phase of its evolution. Success in recent years confirms we’re pursuing the right strategy – not only to establish GFT as an innovative industry specialist, but also to leverage this as a means to drive international growth in all markets.”

Gareth Richardson, Managing Director, Atlantic Region at GFT commented: “We are thrilled that Marika has been appointed as CEO, building on the successful growth of the firm since Ulrich Dietz founded GFT 30 years ago. I am sure with her deep knowledge of the GFT’s expertise and talented team of specialists, GFT will go from strength-to-strength as it embraces new technologies that help our clients grow.”