Axi's London office keeps getting lighter at the top. Stuart Cooke, the broker's global Head of New Business, and Katie le Roux, Head of Compliance for the UK and EU, both left the firm at the end of July, FX News Group reported on 12 August 2026. Both sat on the board of Axi Financial Services (UK) Limited, the group's FCA regulated entity, which makes this more than routine churn.
The two exits share a family tree. Cooke and le Roux both arrived through the 2019 acquisition of One Financial Markets, where Cooke was Global Head of Partners and le Roux served as chief operating officer. Six years on, the senior layer that came with that deal has now largely moved on, and the departures land in a year that had already seen EMEA marketing manager Anna Fleet leave for EC Markets and brand chief Hannah Hill exit to launch a consultancy.
Why a Compliance Exit Gets Our Attention
A new business chief leaving is a commercial story. A compliance head leaving is a supervisory one. Le Roux ran compliance across the UK and EU and held a seat on the board of the FCA regulated company, and the FCA expects licensed firms to keep those functions stable and senior. Nothing suggests wrongdoing here, and planned exits happen at every broker. The point is simpler: the person a regulator calls first no longer works there, and clients of the UK entity are entitled to notice who replaces her and how fast.
A Quiet Pattern Across the Mid Tier
Axi is not alone. Senior people have been rotating out of mid tier CFD brokers all year, toward payment firms, prop shops and consultancies, while the biggest brands hire from big tech and the smallest cut costs. The middle of the market is where margins are thinnest and where a departing rainmaker or compliance veteran hurts most. Watch the replacements: who a broker hires into these seats, and how long they stay, says more about its health than any campaign it runs.
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Two Board Level Exits From One FCA Entity in One Month Deserves a Sharper Look Than a Press Release Would Give It.
Axi has been through a visible run of senior departures in 2026, and the loss of a long serving compliance chief matters more than the title suggests, because compliance stability is the part of a broker clients never see until it fails.
Our advice is unchanged: judge Axi by who fills these seats and how quickly the appointments reach the FCA register, not by the marketing calendar.
About the Company
About Axi
Regulator
FCA context, board seats at the UK entity
Jurisdiction
United Kingdom | Global
Action Type
Departures of two senior executives
Penalty
None | Personnel change
Axi is a CFD and forex broker founded in Australia in 2007, formerly known as AxiTrader, with entities regulated by ASIC, the FCA and other authorities and a client base spread across dozens of countries. The group acquired One Financial Markets in 2019, expanding its London operation. Stuart Cooke and Katie le Roux, both One Financial Markets alumni and board members of the UK entity, left the firm at the end of July 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who left Axi?
Stuart Cooke, global Head of New Business, and Katie le Roux, Head of Compliance for the UK and EU. Both departed at the end of July 2026 and both sat on the board of Axi Financial Services (UK) Limited, the FCA regulated entity.
Why does the compliance departure matter?
The compliance head is the person a regulator deals with day to day, and stability in that seat is part of how supervisors judge a firm. Clients of the UK entity should watch who takes over the role and how quickly the appointment is confirmed.
Is Axi in regulatory trouble?
Nothing in the reporting suggests misconduct or an enforcement issue. The story is about senior turnover: several executives have left the London operation during 2026, and these two exits reach board level.
Is Axi still regulated?
Yes. Axi operates through entities regulated by ASIC in Australia and the FCA in the UK among others, and the departures do not change the licences themselves. See its standing in our Best Forex Brokers in 2026 ranking.
Editor's note & source: Factual points drawn from FX News Group reporting. Nothing in the reporting suggests misconduct or enforcement against the firm or the individuals. This article is not investment advice. Last updated: 17 August 2026.