About Us

Manuele Marini is Co-Founder, CEO

Current Role

Manuele Marini is the co-founder & CEO of Wakett. He fulfils a leadership role as project manager, coordinating discovery phases and identifying technical solutions to meet client needs. Manuele also plays a key role by analysing financial data. He maintains a personal, direct relationship with all clients.

Career Path

Manuele has been engaged in the financial data field for over 20 years. He’s spent the majority of his career overseeing quantitative portfolio management for proprietary desks at specialist investment houses in Europe. He also conceptualised and operated a consulting business that provided specialised trading strategies for clients. Wakett is the culmination of Manuele’s technical skill set and dedicated expertise in financial services.

Qualifications & Education

Manuele has a Master’s in Biomechanical Engineering from Milan Polytechnic. He also spent more than eight years studying and conducting biomedical research using applied statistics and machine learning, and has worked on research projects at the Computer Science Institute of Berkeley. Over the years, he has lent his expertise as an Investment Committee Member for various AIFMs, and as a visiting lecturer at the University of Malta. He brings decades of leadership experience to the table, especially where systemic trading and asset management intersect.

Arno Kitts, Director of Oversight and Guidance

Current Role

Arno uses his expertise in leadership to help support Wakett in its management.

Career Path

Arno has more than 30 years’ industry experience and was, most recently, the Managing Director and Head of the £250-billion BlackRock UK Institutional Business, as well as the Chief Executive of the £100-billion BlackRock Life business. In the past, he has also held senior positions with both Janus Henderson and JP Morgan. He is currently the Chairman of the Investment & Origination Committee with Pension Investment Corporation and is the combined CEO and CIO for Perspective Investments. Perspective was an early investor in Wakett.

Qualifications & Education

Arno has a BSc in Mathematics and a PhD in Social Statistics from Southampton University. He is a Fellow of the UK Institute of Actuaries and the UK Institute of Directors.

Laura Zordan, Co-Founder & Head of Financial and Legal Operations

Current Role

Laura is responsible for all operational and oversight areas of the business including finance and law.

Career Path

Laura has a blended background in finance, law, and business. She has worked in a variety of legal roles, ranging from independent lawyer to in-house lawyer for a large manufacturing company. Meanwhile, she has also been a Board of Directors member at a number of investment schemes, and has held the positions of COO and Compliance Officer at a number of other investment schemes. She brings with her a profound range and depth of expertise to the daily operations at Wakett.

Qualifications & Education

Laura has an accounting degree, a law degree from the University of Ferrara, and an MBA from the Fondazione CUOA. She is licensed to practise law in Malta.

Maurizio Ziraldo, Co-Founder, Head of Software Development

Current Role

Maurizio is responsible for code development, maintenance, and the implementation of the whole range of Wakett services and products.

Career Path

Maurizio’s passion for software development began in his youth, leading him to pursue a university degree in IT. He then co-founded a web tech development company (Wave Net) that was purchased by Telecom Italia. For the last two decades, Maurizio has been developing programs for small businesses in the software and hardware development industries.

Qualifications & Education

Maurizio has an Information Technology degree from the University of Udine. He develops applications primarily in the streaming data processing and object-oriented languages, like TIBCO StreamBase EventFlow™, Microsoft .NET C#, and Java. He is also experienced and versed in a range of technologies like databases, front-end desktop, and web platforms, among others.

Leadership Team

CEO, Co-FounderManuele Marini

Director of Oversight and GuidanceArno Kitts

Director, Co-Founder, Head of Financial and Legal OperationsLaura Zordan

Director, Co-Founder, Head of Software DevelopmentMaurizio Ziraldo

So, are you ready to revolutionise the way your company operates?

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Manuele Marini is Co-Founder, CEO

Current Role

Career Path

Qualifications & Education

Arno Kitts, Director of Oversight and Guidance

Current Role

Career Path

Qualifications & Education

Laura Zordan, Co-Founder & Head of Financial and Legal Operations

Current Role

Career Path

Qualifications & Education

Maurizio Ziraldo, Co-Founder, Head of Software Development

Current Role

Career Path

Qualifications & Education