In his first interview as CEO of Infront, Enrique Sacau discusses taking on the role at a time when technology is rapidly reshaping the financial industry, and what this means for both company and clients. He also gives insights into leadership, purpose and why he finds the future of financial services technology so exciting.

You have worked in funds, data and wealth technology for two decades, including several leadership roles. What attracted you to Infront?
Infront’s services cover areas I have focused on throughout my career, as I come precisely from this industry. Infront has a strong brand and has been doing great work for decades. I was even a client at one point.

Infront tackles the three biggest challenges customers like ours face: costs, growth and regulation. Some companies manage to help with one or two of those, but very few do all three.

That means Infront can act as a true partner to our clients – providing real value by helping them stay compliant, scale their business, and use data in smart ways.

I also felt it was a good cultural fit. From what I knew about the company and the people, it seemed open and collaborative. I already knew some of the teams, and I had the sense that I would feel at home here.

Looking back at your previous roles, what experiences do you think will be most useful in your leadership at Infront?
My career has been built in this exact field. I come from the world of wealth management technology and data.

I have also worked across all of Infront’s European markets. That gives me a good understanding of how different jurisdictions work in practice, and how to support clients across them.

What I hope to bring to bear are domain experience, a focus on data, and an understanding of Infront’s markets and client types.

And what have your first impressions been of Infront?
I have only been in the role a short time, but it is mostly what I expected. It is a great company with great people, operating in a growing space where we can genuinely add value. We have a strong and loyal client base that we need to keep nurturing and growing.

What do you see as the biggest opportunities for Infront and its clients over the next few years?
We need to harness the technological progress that is happening right now. AI is a big part of that and is potentially a big leveler: those who may have fallen behind will have a chance to leapfrog, and those at the front need to stay awake. This is a boat that Infront won’t miss. It’s going to change how we deliver insights, automate workflows and help financial institutions realise the full potential of their data. For Infront, the goal is to integrate AI into what we already do well, in a way that’s responsible, and really helps clients work more efficiently and make better decisions.

At the same time, competition is increasing in every part of the financial sector and regulations will keep evolving. Infront’s role is to help clients be ahead of those challenges and stay compliant, efficient and competitive.

Speaking of compliance, how do you see Infront’s role in helping with the regulatory challenges that our customers face?
By staying ahead of change and ensuring the continued compliance of our products as the rules evolve.

Our clients trust us to understand regulation and turn it into practical tools. That is something we are very good at and something we’ll keep building on.

What excites you about working in WealthTech and financial data at this time?
The pace of change and the relentless and growing focus on the end customer.

We talk a lot about crises and problems in the world, but since 2008 the experience for individual savers and investors has improved dramatically. Regulations like MiFID II and RDR have pushed the whole industry to be more transparent and client-focused.

That is led to real progress in how technology serves the end user, which I find fascinating. My nieces and nephews are in their twenties, and they use financial tools that didn’t even exist five years ago. It’s amazing to see how quickly things are moving.

And when you are not thinking about markets and technology, what are some of your personal interests?
I swim every day for about 45 minutes. I am also passionate about opera and the arts in general. When I’m not working, I love going to performances, travelling and good food. I am also a big reader and often happily spend a weekend at home with a few books.

And finally, who have been your role models or inspirational figures in life?
My mother, definitely. She is incredibly loving and giving, but also very clear about her values. You always know where you stand with her, and I like that very much.

She is also very open to changing her mind when things change, which I think is a great quality in life. I have had a lot of mentors over the years too. I like asking people for advice and I have learned a lot that way. But my mum is still number one.

Want to stay up to date as Infront continues this new chapter under Enrique’s leadership? Follow Infront on LinkedIn.

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