Finshape, a leading provider of digital banking solutions, today announced the appointment of Neil Budd as the company’s new Chief Executive Officer.
Newszy: Budd joins Finshape as an experienced executive with more than 25 years in banking, technology and consulting. He will focus on the company’s continued international growth, strengthening value delivery for clients, and expanding activities primarily across Western Europe, the Middle East and the APAC region. Current CEO Petr Koutný will move to the position of the Chairman of the Board.
Financial institutions today are working out how to turn their investments in digitalisation into measurable outcomes in conjunction with understanding how to harness the potential of artificial intelligence in a meaningful way. “Banks are looking for technology partners they can trust for the long term. Finshape has a strong, relevant product portfolio, experienced teams, and stable, trusted relationships with banks. With our Agentic Digital Bank Operating System and new capabilities in loyalty and personalisation, I am confident we will continue to help banks deliver tangible value to their customers and accelerate our growth journey to new markets,” said Neil Budd, CEO of Finshape.
Strengthening its position in global digital banking
Finshape has been growing for the long term, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe, where it works with major financial institutions including Erste Group, Raiffeisen Bank International, OTP Bank Group or Banca Transilvania. In 2025 Finshape generated EUR 55 million in revenue according to its consolidated results and grew 30% year-on-year. The company is also expanding its international footprint. Further growth has been supported by the recent acquisition of the loyalty platform Realtime-XLS from Collinson Group, and a strategic partnership with Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB), the largest Islamic bank in the United Arab Emirates.
These steps strengthen Finshape’s role in global digital banking. Finshape intends to be a market leader in implementing disruptive technologies, specifically focusing on the meaningful integration of AI into the operations and into client offerings to deliver measurable outcomes for banks.
Experience from Finastra, Accenture and other Global Consultancies
Before joining Finshape, Neil worked at various leading global consulting and advisory firms. At Finastra, he served as Vice President & Global Head Strategic Partnerships Ecosystem and Alliances as well as Global Head of Managed Services. At Accenture, he was Managing Director responsible for Financial Services.
Budd succeeds Petr Koutný, who has been with the company for more than 30 years and is moving to the role of Chairman of the Board. “Finshape is built on professional teams, robust product strategy, and long-term client trust. Neil brings valuable experience for the next stage of development, and I believe he will be a strong addition to the company,” said Petr Koutný.
Finshape’s majority owner, PortfoLion Capital Partners, added: “By expanding operations into new locations, Finshape has reached a point where management needs to develop truly global operations while maintaining high client satisfaction rates. I am confident that, with his experience and skills, Neil will be a vital addition to the company’s leadership team to take advantage of the current changes in the market and technology,” said Jeno Nieder, Deputy CEO at PortfoLion.
Combining Organic Growth and Acquisitions
Today, Finshape serves 100+ financial institutions in 25 countries across four continents.
The company’s team includes 600+ specialists, supporting tens of millions of end users worldwide. Finshape’s growth is driven by a combination of organic development and targeted acquisitions.
“Clients value not only our products and expertise, but above all the practical impact that digital transformation delivers as part of their strategic programmes. Our goal is to continue developing technologies and services that perform in the demanding banking environment. At the same time, we are open to working with partners who share the same values – a strong focus on quality and customer orientation,” Budd concluded.
Media Contact:
Hana Chytra
CMO
Mobile: +420 732 831 540
E-mail: hana.chytra@finshape.com
About Finshape
Finshape is a leading provider of digital banking solutions with more than 30 years of experience. The company helps financial institutions leverage state-of-the-art technologies to accelerate digital transformation, improve operational efficiency and strengthen customer experience. Finshape solutions are used by 100+ financial institutions in 25 countries across four continents, supported by a team of 600+ experts serving tens of millions of end users worldwide. With its agentic Digital Bank Operating System (DBOS), Finshape brings IT and business together to deliver a seamless omnichannel customer experience (web, mobile, branch), AI-powered personalisation, and a future-ready architecture that helps banks achieve vendor sovereignty – not just vendor independence.
More information: https://finshape.com