Saphyre Taps Fintech Veteran Damian Handzy as COO to Scale AI Platform

NEW YORK, NY – February 10, 2026 – Saphyre, Inc., a fintech firm at the forefront of automating financial trade lifecycles, has appointed seasoned executive Damian Handzy as its new Chief Operating Officer. The move signals an aggressive strategy to accelerate the company's global growth and solidify its platform's role in an industry grappling with unprecedented demands for speed and efficiency.

Handzy, a fintech veteran with over 25 years of experience, will take the operational helm as Saphyre scales its patented AI-powered infrastructure. The appointment comes at a critical juncture for capital markets, which are navigating a seismic shift toward faster settlement times, making the firm's promise of eliminating operational bottlenecks more relevant than ever. As part of the leadership restructuring, former COO Ray Shivers will transition to the newly created role of Chief Partnership Officer, a move designed to deepen strategic alliances and expand market reach.

A Proven Leader for a Period of Hyper-Growth

Damian Handzy's appointment is a clear statement of intent from Saphyre's leadership. His extensive background is heavily weighted in scaling fintech platforms, a crucial skill set as the company looks to build on its momentum. Prior to joining Saphyre, Handzy was the Managing Director of Analytics at Confluence Technologies. His career is marked by significant leadership roles, including serving as the founder and CEO of Investor Analytics, a pioneering risk management solutions provider that was later acquired by StatPro, where he became the Global Head of Risk.

"We are extremely excited to have Damian join Saphyre," said Gabino Roche, Saphyre's CEO and Founder, in the company's announcement. "Damian's appointment underscores our commitment to building a world-class leadership team capable of supporting our rapid growth and expanding global client base. He brings deep experience scaling fintech platforms and leading global teams across operations, product, and client delivery."

Handzy's remit as COO will involve overseeing day-to-day operations, client delivery, and cross-functional execution. He will work closely with the company's board and its strategic growth investor, FTV Capital, which led a $70 million investment round in 2025 to fuel Saphyre's expansion. This backing from a prominent growth equity firm, known for its focus on high-growth B2B fintech, provides both capital and strategic guidance, further positioning Saphyre for its next phase of market penetration.

"I'm delighted to join Saphyre and to work with Gabino, the Saphyre team, and our investors to help clients achieve meaningful operational and commercial success," Handzy stated. "Saphyre has positioned itself as an innovative leader in automating onboarding and operational readiness across the industry and I'm thrilled to be part of Saphyre's bright future."

An AI Engine Built for the T+1 Revolution

At the heart of Saphyre's strategy is its patented AI technology, designed to digitize and automate the entire pre-trade through post-trade process. The platform functions as a shared digital ledger for all pre-trade data, from account opening and onboarding to maintenance and ready-to-trade verification. By creating a 'memory of data and documents,' it eliminates the endless cycle of redundant information requests that plague financial institutions, allowing counterparties to access permissioned information seamlessly.

This technological foundation is what enables Saphyre's bold claim of eliminating 70-75% of redundant or inefficient post-trade activities. For its client base—which includes over 75 of the world's largest financial institutions like JP Morgan, BNY, and BlackRock—this translates into tangible benefits: faster client onboarding, real-time visibility into trade readiness, and a dramatic reduction in operational risk.

The significance of this efficiency gain has been magnified by the global regulatory push for accelerated trade settlement. The United States, Canada, and Mexico moved to a T+1 settlement cycle (trade date plus one day) in May 2024, and Europe is now on a path to follow suit by late 2027. This compressed timeline has placed immense pressure on firms' back-office operations, turning what were once minor delays into potential settlement failures. Manual processes and legacy systems are no longer viable, creating a surge in demand for the kind of intelligent automation Saphyre provides. Handzy's operational expertise is expected to be instrumental in ensuring the company's platform can meet this soaring demand reliably and at scale.

A Dual-Pronged Strategy for Market Dominance

The appointment of Handzy as COO is complemented by the strategic repositioning of Ray Shivers to Chief Partnership Officer. Shivers, who previously served as COO since 2022 after a distinguished career at BlackRock, was instrumental in guiding Saphyre through its Series A funding and initial growth phase. His deep industry connections and proven ability to forge high-impact relationships are now being fully dedicated to expanding Saphyre's ecosystem.

This dual-leadership structure creates a powerful two-pronged approach to growth. While Handzy focuses internally on optimizing operations, enhancing client delivery, and scaling the company's infrastructure, Shivers will focus externally on building and strengthening the strategic alliances necessary for widespread adoption. This includes deepening relationships with existing clients and partners while identifying new opportunities to embed Saphyre's technology across the financial services landscape.

By splitting these critical functions, Saphyre is creating a dedicated focus on both operational excellence and strategic market expansion. This structured approach aims to ensure that as the company's internal capabilities grow under Handzy, its market presence and influence expand in parallel under Shivers, creating a powerful flywheel effect that could cement its position as an indispensable utility for the modern capital markets.