Edinburgh-based Nucleus has recruited a new head of product development, Sam Hampton-Smith, as the firm looks to add to its tech capabilities.

Hampton-Smith joins Nucleus from cybersecurity company, Zonefox, where he served as head of engineering and user experience. As an experienced technology professional, Hampton-Smith brings a strong track record of observing customer journeys and building technology propositions that subsequently improve upon the user experience for a range of different stakeholders.

Leading Development

In his new role, Hampton-Smith will lead the development team at Nucleus, handling technical design, the testing of new functions and managing software upgrades and releases.

The move further enhances Nucleus’ fintech experience as the company continues to attract talent from across a number of sectors. The company says it expects to increase its capabilities in this space in the coming years as the importance of technology in the finance industry continues to surge.

Commenting on his appointment, Sam Hampton-Smith said: “Scotland is becoming a hub for businesses built with technology at the front and centre, and Nucleus is a big part of this.

“Financial services has often been criticised for being slow in implementing technology solutions that make things easier for both their customers and themselves. However, I am really looking forward to joining a company that not only understands this importance, but is also trying to use it to improve the customer experience.”

Continued Expansion

Founded in 2006, Nucleus has established itself as a reputable industry figure and it one of the UK’s fastest-growing platforms, acting as a meeting point for more than 400 adviser firms. As of December 2017, the platform’s assets under administration stood at over £13 billion.

Chief Technology Officer, Andrew Smith, believes this appointment underlines the company’s commitment to building a “robust proposition that makes it easier for advisers and their clients to manage their finances.”

Smith added: “We fully expect to be increasing the headcount in our technology team over the coming months as it has now become such an important aspect of any business, let alone for financial services firms.”

According to Smith, Scotland has an exceptional talent pool the to call upon. This, he noted, will enable Scotland’s fintech sector to stand out in coming years.

He said: “There is a real talent pool to choose from when it comes to technology-based roles here in Scotland and I believe this is one thing that is going to allow us to stand out in the future.

“Sam has a huge amount of fintech experience, and coupled with the strength we already have in the team, we have a real opportunity to continue building on and improving the proposition.”