Anatoly Knyazev
Biography
Education
Throughout the early 2000s, Anatoly’s academic focus was on applied mathematics and computer science, which led him to complete a Master’s degree in Applied Mathematics and Information Theory with Honours in 2006 from MSU. In 2008-2011, Anatoly worked on pursuing his lifetime dream of obtaining a PhD on Big Data Analysis and started dabbling in financial markets with his own funds.
First investments
Mr. Knyazev gained practical experience in software development in 2005-2008 at a Canadian subsidiary of NEC Corporation, a Japanese multinational company listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, providing business support systems (BSS), support systems for operations (OSS), and software defined networking (SDN) solutions. This combination of Anatoly's academic knowledge and his real-world professional experience in software engineering served as a stepping stone for EXANTE’s future technological success.
In addition to his primary engagement in a software business, Anatoly applied his mathematics fluency to trading throughout the mid-2000s. His expertise in cybernetics and applied mathematics allowed him to find mispricings between derivatives and the underlying assets and develop the skills for successful arbitrage trading strategies. Building on his expertise and ever seeking to grow his knowledge base, Mr. Knyazev developed a working network with brokers, global partners, and banks to form a counterparty network. One of these meetings led him to Mr. Alexey Kirienko, his future partner and co-founder at EXANTE.
Origin of EXANTE and brokerage business
Anatoly started using his software development skills to begin writing codes for trading algorithms in 2007. The success of the strategies attracted interest from other market participants, who requested access to the program for a fee. Mr. Knyazev and Mr. Kirienko realized that the trading software alone was not sufficient to fulfill the needs of professional traders, as access to the counterparties and exchanges was also essential. Seeing the economic and practical inefficiencies of a dispersed network of intermediaries for market access, the two partners decided to build a global investment company as a single stop for access to multiple markets, execution and custody services. And so, EXANTE was born, with the launch of its brokerage business in 2011 in Malta under the authorisation from the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA).
The two partners were soon joined by Gatis Eglitis - a successful sales trader from Saxobank, who quickly realized the potential of the software and joined the company as a partner. Since its inception, the company has appealed to clients through the exceptional quality of its software and modern, convenient and comprehensive approach to conducting business. These factors contributed to the company's success, leading to the establishment of a significant client base and recognition as one of the top innovators in its industry.Throughout the next 10 years, the business grew from a single license to a global financial conglomerate, with additional licenses in Cyprus, Hong Kong and UK.
The EXANTE trading platform currently provides access to 50 markets and over 1,000,000 instruments globally, offering clients convenient access to a broad range of financial services through a single entry point, combined with exceptional, personalized service. The quality of service earned the platform numerous accolades in the financial industry, including more than 30 awards received, including:
- Most Innovative WealthTech & Trading Service (2024)
- Most Innovative Multi-Asset Trading Platform (2024)
- Best Multi-Asset Broker (2023)
- FT Diversity Product or Service of the Year in 2023 and 2024.