FD Technologies PLC

FD Technologies PLC

FD Technologies PLC, formerly known as First Derivatives, was founded in 1996 by Brian Conlon in Newry, Northern Ireland. The company has since expanded to offices in London, New York, Santa Monica, Grass Valley, and Fort Mill, reflecting its global client base in financial services and beyond. Conlon led the firm until his death in 2022; current leadership includes CEO Seamus Keating, who stepped into the role in May 2023. The firm operates through two primary divisions: KX, which provides a real-time data analytics platform used in trading, manufacturing, and cybersecurity, and First Derivative, a consulting arm focused on capital markets technology and regulatory projects. KX competes with platforms like kdb+, while First Derivative placements are often embedded within banks and exchanges. The company reports revenue rather than AUM; for fiscal year 2024, revenue was approximately £268 million (per company filings), with KX contributing the larger share. Employee count was roughly 2,500 globally as of mid-2024, per the company's annual report. The firm maintains a global footprint across five countries. In May 2024, the company appointed Seamus Keating as CEO to oversee a strategic shift toward higher-growth software sales under KX. A structural differentiator is FD Technologies' hybrid public company model: it trades on the London Stock Exchange as a technology firm, yet its primary offerings are B2B analytics and consultancy rather than software products or services sold to consumers. This setup gives it the capital raising ability of a listed entity while requiring disclosure of financials that are typically opaque for family offices.