CEO MONTHLY / Global CEO Excellence Awards 2025 16 didn’t start Fintech HI.RE to make a quick buck or chase a vanity valuation. I started it because I believed the recruitment industry — especially in fintech — was losing its soul. Too much noise. Too much automation. Too many shortcuts. Not enough humanity. From day one, I wanted to build a business that would last — something that could make a real difference to the people we work with. That meant slowing down where others rushed. Saying no when it mattered. And making decisions based on values, not just margins. One moment still stands out: an early client wanted fast resumes — a flood of CVs within 24 hours. But we could see it wasn’t about speed. It was about understanding what Best FinTech Executive Search CEO 2025: Cliff Van Tonder Cliff van Tonder is the founder and CEO of Fintech HI.RE, a global executive search and offshore staffing firm specialising in financial technology. He is passionate about building value-led, people-first recruitment partnerships that last, and we are proud to hear more directly from Cliff below. leadership really looked like in their world. We politely declined the transactional route and instead focused on helping them define the right leadership profile. It took longer — but that hire is still there, one year later, now leading a key digital transformation. That’s what I mean by lasting impact. We treat every candidate like a future leader, not a number in a database. We treat every client like a partner in progress — not a revenue line. And when we say we’re building global teams in India and South Africa, we mean building strong teams with sustainability and equality in mind. We mean undiscovered excellence. People who can change the game — if someone just opens the door. Sure, this philosophy means we don’t win every resourcing contract, and I’m ok with that. If it costs us short-term growth, but keeps our integrity intact, that’s a price I’ll pay every time. We live by six values — passion, ownership, respect, integrity, excellence, and balance. We don’t just write them on the website. We talk about them in hard decisions. We reflect on them when something doesn’t go our way. They are, quite literally, how we lead. Receiving this award again is deeply humbling. But it’s also a sign that sticking to our principles is worth it — even when it’s not the easy path. Fintech HI.RE may still be young, but we’re in this for the long haul. We’re not trying to be the biggest. We’re here to be the most trusted. The most human. And hopefully, the most lasting. I Contact: Cliff van Tonder Company: Fintech HI.RE Website: https://www.fintechhire. com.au/ Building Something That Lasts
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