Pepperstone Appoints Andrew Turnbull as Head of Africa to Drive Regional Growth

Pepperstone has appointed Andrew Turnbull as Head of Africa to lead its expansion across the continent from a new base in Nairobi. The move signals a strategic push into high-growth, mobile-first markets where regulatory frameworks are maturing, requiring localized expertise to navigate diverse trading environments and strengthening institutional partnerships in the region.

What was announced

Pepperstone, which currently serves clients in more than 160 countries, has named Andrew Turnbull as its new Head of Africa. Operating out of Nairobi, Kenya, Turnbull is tasked with spearheading the firm’s strategy across a continent characterized by a rapid shift toward mobile-first trading platforms. His remit includes managing Pepperstone’s growth as regional regulators increasingly move to tighten oversight of the online trading sector. Turnbull joins the provider with over two decades of experience in the financial services industry. His background includes senior leadership positions at ODL Securities and FXCM Europe, where he focused on institutional sales, partnerships, and business development within regulated foreign exchange (FX) and Contracts for Difference (CFD) markets.

The appointment coincides with a broader internal initiative at Pepperstone to invest in proprietary technology. By owning more of its tech stack, the company aims to gain greater control over the end-to-end trading experience, allowing for more granular customization to meet the specific needs of traders in individual African jurisdictions. Kenya serves as a primary hub for this expansion; Pepperstone Markets Kenya Limited is already licensed and regulated by the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) under licence number 128. This regulatory standing is central to the firm's strategy, as Kenya was among the first African nations to establish a formal framework for online forex trading, providing a template for market maturity that other nations in the region are now beginning to follow.

"Africa is dozens of distinct regulatory environments and trader profiles. That is why we are putting more resources on the ground and investing in people who understand the region. Andrew's experience across regulated financial services and institutional partnerships, combined with his growing first-hand understanding of markets like Kenya, makes him the right person to lead our growth across the continent."

Marc Boever, Head of EMEA at Pepperstone.

The companies involved

Pepperstone is a global online trading provider that has established itself as a significant player in the FX and CFD markets since its inception. The firm maintains a wide international footprint, offering trading services to a diverse client base across more than 160 countries. Its operations are supported by a suite of regulatory licenses in multiple jurisdictions, including its specific regional entity, Pepperstone Markets Kenya Limited, which operates under the oversight of the Kenyan Capital Markets Authority. This local presence is a cornerstone of its African strategy, positioning the firm within one of the continent's most developed regulatory landscapes.

The company’s leadership team includes Marc Boever, who serves as the Head of EMEA. The broader group has recently focused on vertical integration, moving away from third-party dependencies to develop its own AI-native and proprietary technology infrastructure. This shift is intended to provide the agility needed to compete with both established global brokerages and emerging local fintechs. By centering its African operations in Nairobi, Pepperstone is tapping into a mature financial ecosystem that often serves as a regulatory and technological bellwether for the rest of the East African region and the wider continent.

What FF News has reported before

FF News has previously tracked Pepperstone’s efforts to modernize its infrastructure and expand its product suite. In August 2026, the firm announced the appointment of former Xero executive Nigel Fernandes as CTO. This hire was a key component of Pepperstone’s "AI-native" technology transformation, aimed at building out proprietary systems to replace legacy third-party tools. This technological push aligns with the current African expansion, as the firm seeks to tailor its platform for local market nuances. Additionally, FF News reported in July 2026 that Pepperstone expanded its Perpetual CFDs offering to meet a rising global demand for 24/7 trading capabilities. These developments suggest a consistent strategy of combining high-spec technical capabilities with aggressive geographical and product diversification.

What this means

The appointment of a dedicated Head of Africa based in Nairobi highlights a shift in how global brokerages view the continent—moving from a remote service model to a boots-on-the-ground approach. For the fintech sector, this move puts pressure on competitors who lack local regulatory licensing, as African traders increasingly prioritize security and local oversight. The industry is currently grappling with a fragmented regulatory landscape; while Kenya has set a high bar, other regions remain underserved or inconsistently governed. The success of this localized strategy will likely depend on whether proprietary tech can actually solve the high-latency and mobile-access issues prevalent in emerging markets, which remain the primary barrier to entry for many retail traders.