Meet the Team
meet the team
A world-class technology team
With deep experience working for some of the biggest financial services brands in the world, Optifi is a dynamic, diverse team of experienced industry and technology leaders with a strong vendor relationship history. We use this legacy to solve sector challenges with innovative solutions built on proven foundations.
Stuart Richford
Chief Executive Officer
A visionary leader in digital transformation and financial services, Stuart Richford has over 30 years of experience in private equity, fund administration, trust services, and banking.
He has led large-scale global restructures, post-acquisition integrations, and regulatory change projects, working with brands such as BDO, Deutsche Bank, and Barclays. As a business leader, Stuart previously founded, scaled, and successfully exited a consulting business.
A recognised industry speaker, Stuart is passionate about leveraging AI, data, and emerging technologies to drive operational excellence and future-proof financial services.
As CEO of Optifi, he spearheads innovation in the trust and family sector, ensuring clients achieve efficiency, scalability, and regulatory confidence.
Stuart Richford
A visionary leader in digital transformation and financial services, Stuart Richford has over 30 years of experience in private equity, fund administration, trust services, and banking.
He has led large-scale global restructures, post-acquisition integrations, and regulatory change projects, working with brands such as BDO, Deutsche Bank, and Barclays. As a business leader, Stuart previously founded, scaled, and successfully exited a consulting business.
A recognised industry speaker, Stuart is passionate about leveraging AI, data, and emerging technologies to drive operational excellence and future-proof financial services.
As CEO of Optifi, he spearheads innovation in the trust and family sector, ensuring clients achieve efficiency, scalability, and regulatory confidence.
Alain Egre
Chief Operating Officer
Alain brings a wealth of consulting and change management experience across the Trust, Wealth and Banking sectors from his time with BDO, Sionic, Kleinwort Hambros and Barclays.
An expert facilitator, Alain has a natural authority when bringing teams and stakeholders together to shape a strategy, capture outcomes and plan critical path activities.
At Optifi, Alain will play a pivotal role in ensuring that internal processes evolve in alignment with our external mission and client value proposition. Through strategic leadership and operational excellence Alain will ensure that every internal development directly supports our commitment to delivering transformative solutions.
Alain Egre
Alain brings a wealth of consulting and change management experience across the Trust, Wealth and Banking sectors from his time with BDO, Sionic, Kleinwort Hambros and Barclays.
An expert facilitator, Alain has a natural authority when bringing teams and stakeholders together to shape a strategy, capture outcomes and plan critical path activities.
At Optifi, Alain will play a pivotal role in ensuring that internal processes evolve in alignment with our external mission and client value proposition. Through strategic leadership and operational excellence Alain will ensure that every internal development directly supports our commitment to delivering transformative solutions.
Tish Vadher
Chief Strategy Officer
An expert in digital product development and transformation, Tish Vadher brings 25 years of experience in reshaping financial services through cutting-edge technology.
He has successfully delivered cloud-based core banking solutions, AI-driven digital products, and large-scale agile transformations for major brands, including Bupa, Ocorian, AXA Wealth, and RELX Group.
His deep expertise in cloud architecture, fintech strategy, and regulatory tech solutions ensures that Optifi remains at the forefront of digital innovation in Family Office, Trust and Corporate Services.
Tish works closely with our partner ecosystem to ensure Optifi provides best-in-class solutions to our mutual clients.
Passionate about innovation, Tish is committed to helping clients unlock growth by leveraging modern technology, data, and AI responsibly to achieve competitive advantage.
Tish Vadher
An expert in digital product development and transformation, Tish Vadher brings 25 years of experience in reshaping financial services through cutting-edge technology.
He has successfully delivered cloud-based core banking solutions, AI-driven digital products, and large-scale agile transformations for major brands, including Bupa, Ocorian, AXA Wealth, and RELX Group.
His deep expertise in cloud architecture, fintech strategy, and regulatory tech solutions ensures that Optifi remains at the forefront of digital innovation in Family Office, Trust and Corporate Services.
Tish works closely with our partner ecosystem to ensure Optifi provides best-in-class solutions to our mutual clients.
Alex Steele
Chief Technology Officer
A expert technologist and IT leader, Alex Steele brings over 30 years of experience delivering enterprise technology platforms in Wealth Management. He has deep expertise in platform architecture and build, agile delivery, and vendor management, having led complex migrations and managed multiple development teams to build scalable, compliant investment platforms at Barclays.
At Optifi, Alex defines the technology vision and strategy, ensuring all systems are secure, scalable, and cloud-optimised. He leads the development and architecture of our technology platform, using AI and automation to accelerate innovation and adoption. By tracking key DevOps metrics, he ensures fast, reliable delivery aligned with investor and client goals.
Collaborative and pragmatic, Alex applies risk-based principles to solve complex challenges with simple, efficient solutions—ensuring technology remains a key enabler of Optifi’s mission.
Alex Steele
A expert technologist and IT leader, Alex Steele brings over 30 years of experience delivering enterprise technology platforms in Wealth Management. He has deep expertise in platform architecture and build, agile delivery, and vendor management, having led complex migrations and managed multiple development teams to build scalable, compliant investment platforms at Barclays.
At Optifi, Alex defines the technology vision and strategy, ensuring all systems are secure, scalable, and cloud-optimised. He leads the development and architecture of our technology platform, using AI and automation to accelerate innovation and adoption. By tracking key DevOps metrics, he ensures fast, reliable delivery aligned with investor and client goals.
Collaborative and pragmatic, Alex applies risk-based principles to solve complex challenges with simple, efficient solutions—ensuring technology remains a key enabler of Optifi’s mission.
Cara Wright
Chief Product Officer
An innovative and customer-focused product leader, Cara Wright has over 15 years of experience in financial services, fintech, and digital transformation.
She has held key leadership roles at JP Morgan Chase Investment and Private Banks, and Barclays Wealth & Private Bank, designing & executing CX-focused product strategies, agile product deliveries and AI-powered financial solutions.
With experience running multi-million-pound technology change portfolios impacting billions of dollars, Cara has a deep understanding of corporate client servicing, trading and investment platforms and digital client engagement.
Cara ensures that Optifi’s platform delivers people-focused experiences to modernise Family Office, Trust and Corporate Service providers, within an innovative and creative product culture.
Cara Wright
An innovative and customer-focused product leader, Cara Wright has over 15 years of experience in financial services, fintech, and digital transformation.
She has held key leadership roles at JP Morgan Chase Investment and Private Banks, and Barclays Wealth & Private Bank, designing & executing CX-focused product strategies, agile product deliveries and AI-powered financial solutions.
With experience running multi-million-pound technology change portfolios impacting billions of dollars, Cara has a deep understanding of corporate client servicing, trading and investment platforms and digital client engagement.
Cara ensures that Optifi’s platform delivers people-focused experiences to modernise Family Office, Trust and Corporate Service providers, within an innovative and creative product culture.
Aleksandra Anderson
Finance Director
A strategic finance leader, Aleksandra Anderson brings over 18 years’ experience in regulated financial services, trust administration and corporate environments. A qualified accountant and transformation specialist, she combines strong financial control with a commercial mindset to drive operational excellence and growth.
She has held senior roles at Zedra Group, Summit Group and Barclays Wealth, leading multi-jurisdictional teams, post-acquisition integrations and large-scale system implementations including NavOne, SAP, Adaptive and PlainSail. Her achievements include group-wide transformations, data-driven dashboards and frameworks that improve forecasting, cash management and profitability.
As Co-Founder and Finance & Board Director at Optifi, Aleksandra ensures robust governance and strategic foresight, empowering providers to scale sustainably through innovation.
Aleksandra Anderson
A strategic finance leader, Aleksandra Anderson brings over 18 years’ experience in regulated financial services, trust administration and corporate environments. A qualified accountant and transformation specialist, she combines strong financial control with a commercial mindset to drive operational excellence and growth.
She has held senior roles at Zedra Group, Summit Group and Barclays Wealth, leading multi-jurisdictional teams, post-acquisition integrations and large-scale system implementations including NavOne, SAP, Adaptive and PlainSail. Her achievements include group-wide transformations, data-driven dashboards and frameworks that improve forecasting, cash management and profitability.
As Co-Founder and Finance & Board Director at Optifi, Aleksandra ensures robust governance and strategic foresight, empowering providers to scale sustainably through innovation.
Rafi Ghazi
Board Advisor
With over 30 years in global investment banking and asset management, Rafi Ghazi brings deep expertise across private equity, venture capital and corporate finance. He has supported SaaS and tech scale-ups, led multi-billion-dollar co-investments, and helped leadership teams unlock capital and accelerate growth.
Having raised billions across infrastructure, natural resources and the energy transition, Rafi combines financial acumen with hands-on operational experience. As Senior Advisor to a leading multi-family office, he shapes investment strategy and portfolio growth in fintech and digital infrastructure.
At Optifi, Rafi is a Founding Board Member and Management Board Advisor, guiding governance, strategy, funding and go-to-market execution as the company scales to become the category-defining platform for the Trust and Corporate Services industry.
Rafi Ghazi
With over 30 years in global investment banking and asset management, Rafi Ghazi brings deep expertise across private equity, venture capital and corporate finance. He has supported SaaS and tech scale-ups, led multi-billion-dollar co-investments, and helped leadership teams unlock capital and accelerate growth.
Having raised billions across infrastructure, natural resources and the energy transition, Rafi combines financial acumen with hands-on operational experience. As Senior Advisor to a leading multi-family office, he shapes investment strategy and portfolio growth in fintech and digital infrastructure.
At Optifi, Rafi is a Founding Board Member and Management Board Advisor, guiding governance, strategy, funding and go-to-market execution as the company scales to become the category-defining platform for the Trust and Corporate Services industry.
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