Newry-based First Derivatives Plc, which provides software and technology services to banks and financial institutions worldwide reached a significant milestone recently when it hired its 1,000th employee. Ciaran McArdle who holds an MSc from the University of Ulster joined FD as a Financial Engineer and became the Firm’s 1000th employee.
Ciaran joins the company at a very exciting time. First Derivatives recently announced its acquisition of a majority shareholding in Kx Systems, a California-based provider of Big Data technology. In addition to its acquisition strategy, First Derivatives continues to recruit both graduate and experienced personnel to deliver its services worldwide. This year alone it has hired over 140 graduates. These graduates will work on the latest technology in areas ranging from algorithmic trading and market surveillance to risk management and data science. Prior to joining First Derivatives, Ciaran had recently qualified as a solicitor. Ciaran has already been assigned to work on client site working on complex regulatory and compliance issues with global financial institutions.
Chief Operating Officer Adrian Toner commented, “Reaching this growth milestone is another tremendous achievement for First Derivatives and underlines just how far the company has come. We now have personnel right across the globe and as we continue to expand we continue to look for bright, talented employees like Ciaran to work on client sites and in our Near Shore service centres in Newry, Belfast and Dublin.”
Ciaran is delighted to be joining First Derivatives – “I always knew that First Derivatives offered wonderful career opportunities for those interested in capital markets. Already the additional training I have received has started to round out my skills in finance and technology. I am currently applying this knowledge and skills in my current client assignment.”
Welcoming the news, Brian Dolaghan, Invest NI’s Executive Director of Business and Sector Development, said: “This milestone achievement for First Derivatives underlines the growth of this successful indigenous software business which is making a positive contribution to both the Newry area and to rebuilding and rebalancing the Northern Ireland economy.”
First Derivatives was formed in 1996 and floated on the London Stock exchange in 2002. It provides consulting services and software to the capital markets and counts many of the world’s topinvestment banks, brokers, regulators and hedge funds as its customers. It is headquartered in Newry and has operations in Dublin, London, New York, Philadelphia, Toronto Stockholm, Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Sydney,
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