Hanna (Johny) Abuaitah: The financial services sector is dynamic and constantly evolving

Hanna (Johny) Abuaitah, the CEO of Windsor Brokers reveals how, as people continue to innovate and the demand continues to grow, financial markets will also evolve while his company remains committed to providing innovative and cutting-edge solutions to its clients.

Can you tell us more about your company, when you were established in Cyprus and how many offices/ members of staff you currently have?

Windsor Brokers was established in 1988, and it was actually the first financial services company of its kind to become licensed and regulated by the authorities in Cyprus. When we began operations, we only had two people on our payroll. Since then, the company has grown and expanded, becoming one of the leading brokers in the region. Today, we are proud to have multiple international licenses and over 220 employees around the world.

Celebrating our 35th anniversary this year, I can’t help but feel extremely proud of the work that we have done with the Windsor team. Our passion, innovation, commitment to excellence, and unwavering work ethics got us this far and I’m looking forward to seeing where they take us in the future.

What do you believe sets your company apart from its competition?

What sets us apart from our competition is our history. There is maybe a handful of brokers in the world that can match our expertise.

We’ve had 35 years to perfect our product – we’ve built a brand that is trusted by investors all around the world, resilient to global economic disasters like 9/11, the 2008 financial crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, and so many more economic and geopolitical challenges, and flexible enough to scale and adapt to the changing environment. The fact that we have clients and employees who have been loyal to us for over 20 years is proof that our hard work is acknowledged and appreciated.

How has your experience of doing business in Cyprus been and would you recommend it to other foreign interest companies looking to relocate?

I would most definitely recommend Cyprus to other foreign investment companies looking to relocate. In the beginning, we chose Cyprus as the base of our operations mostly due to its strategic geographic location. We wanted to leverage Cyprus’ easy access to Europe, Asia, and Africa, to maximize our operations and establish our brand in these regions. What we didn’t know at the time was that Cyprus also offers a highly skilled workforce, a business-friendly infrastructure, and attractive tax rates. This sunny Mediterranean island became our home, and we couldn’t imagine running our company anywhere else.

What is your view of your sector (locally and on a global level) both as it is today and its potential for growth?

The financial services sector is a dynamic and constantly evolving industry influenced by many different elements. If you think about it, not that long ago, trading orders were taken and executed by men on a trading floor. Today, the process is completely electronic making it easily accessible to anyone with a smart device or a desktop. Originally, trading was predominantly available to institutional investors like banks or hedge funds. Now, the number of retail traders grows every year and forecasts show that the number of millionaires will grow by 40% by 2026. As the people continue to innovate and the demand continues to grow, the financial markets will evolve. We are optimistic about the future and remain committed to providing innovative and cutting-edge solutions to our clients.

Where do you see your company in five years? Are there any immediate plans for your company you can reveal to us today, for example new products, services, plans for expansion?

In five years, we aim to continue our growth trajectory and expand our global footprint. We are always looking for new opportunities to enhance our product and service offering, and we are currently working on some exciting new initiatives that we hope to announce soon.

How much focus do you put on CSR and being part of the local community?

Being a part of the local community is very important to us at Windsor Brokers. We believe that as a business, we have a responsibility to contribute to the communities in which we operate, and we are actively involved in a number of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. These include supporting local charities, participating in community events, and promoting sustainable business practices. We believe that our CSR activities not only benefit the communities we serve but also inspire others to do the same.