Jeff Schmidt – Chief Executive Officer John Cahaly – Executive Chairman Rich Itri – Chief Innovation Officer Andy Breton – Chief Financial Officer Kate Taunton-Rigby – Chief People Officer William Tan – Chief Compliance & Security Officer Matthew Wojtkowiak – Chief Legal Officer Jose De Jesus – SVP, Global Head of Service Delivery Jen Falasca – Global Head of Marketing
ECI (formerly Eze Castle Integration) is a global provider of managed services, cybersecurity, and business transformation solutions for mid-market financial services organizations. The company serves over 1,000 clients worldwide, representing more than US$3 trillion in assets under management (AUM). ECI specializes in cloud management, cybersecurity, IT outsourcing, and digital transformation, enabling investment firms to operate securely and efficiently in a regulated environment.[1]
Sean McLaughlin and John Cahaly founded Eze Castle Consulting in 1995. McLaughlin previously worked at several investment firms.[2] The company was named after Èze, a village in the French Riviera.[2] Eze Castle Consulting began supporting early stage funds in the Boston area,[3] then opened new offices in New York City, San Francisco and Greenwich, Connecticut in the late 1990s.[4]
As of 2017, Eze Castle had a major office in an 18,000 square foot space at 529 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, where they had been located since 2005.[5] In 2000, Eze Castle Consulting was split into two independent companies, Eze Castle Software and Eze Castle Integration;[4] Eze Castle Integration became a systems integration company focused on the financial services sector.[6] During the economic downturn in 2000, the firm downsized and reduced many expenditures while continuing to generate a profit.[3] By 2004 the company had grown to a 120-person staff.[4][7] Throughout the late 2000s, the company introduced Eze Vault, Eze Disaster Recovery, ECI Link and Eze Managed Suites. They also introduced Eze Cloud[8][9] and started selling Tradar's Insight product in a hosted cloud model.[10] Today a growing percentage of the firm's revenue comes from cloud-based products.[11][12]
In the first eight months of 2008 the average hedge fund declined five percent and 170 hedge funds closed their doors due to ongoing financial volatility. Although 95 percent of the firm's clients were hedge funds, it experienced a revenue increase of 26 percent and obtained sixty new clients during the time period.[4]
At the time, the company supported 450 US-based hedge funds, including 81 firms with over $1 billion in management.[7] It opened new offices in Chicago in 2008, and London in 2007.[4][7] In 2010 and 2011 new offices were opened in Singapore and Hong Kong.[13][14] In 2010 an affiliate company, Ledgex Systems LLC, was created to develop and support software for fund of hedge funds to automate and manage investment portfolios.[15]
In 2018, the company received a significant investment from private equity firm H.I.G. Capital.[16] At the time, Eze Castle had roughly 650 customers across the United States, United Kingdom and Asia.
In 2020, Eze Castle Integration acquired Alphaserve Technologies,[17] a provider of infrastructure technology and digital IT services, bringing the company's client base to 800. In November 2020 the company acquired digital transformation firm NorthOut, Inc.[18]
In 2021, Eze Castle Integration rebranded as ECI.[19]
Recent Developments (2024–2025)
2025: Launched ELLA, an AI-driven platform for proactive IT health monitoring and predictive cybersecurity.[20]
2025: Expanded presence in APAC and EMEA, including new service delivery hubs in Singapore and Lisbon.[21]
2025: Introduced a Client Health Dashboard providing real-time IT, cloud, and security visibility for hedge funds and private equity clients.[22]
2025: Appointed Jose De Jesus as Global Head of Service Delivery.[23]
Awards and recognition
2025: Named to the Hedgeweek US Awards shortlist for Best Managed Services Provider.[24]
2025: Recognized as a finalist in the Microsoft Partner of the Year awards (Financial Services category).[25]
2024: Honored for Innovation in Digital Transformation at the ECI International Digital Economy Innovation Awards.[26]
Leadership
Jeff Schmidt – Chief Executive Officer (appointed 2023). Schmidt has a background in cybersecurity, managed services, and innovation. He is the founder of Authomate, a passwordless authentication platform recognized with awards from USB and Red Herring. Over his career, Schmidt has led multiple startups backed by leading technology investors and executives, including John Drew (TCV), Jim Goetz (Sequoia Capital), and Jon Donovan (AT&T). His professional focus has been on strengthening cyber resilience, advancing digital identity, and guiding financial institutions through modernization and cloud transformation.[27]
John Cahaly – Executive Chairman
Rich Itri – Chief Innovation Officer
Andy Breton – Chief Financial Officer
Kate Taunton-Rigby – Chief People Officer
William Tan – Chief Compliance & Security Officer
Matthew Wojtkowiak – Chief Legal Officer
Jose De Jesus – SVP, Global Head of Service Delivery
Jen Falasca – Global Head of Marketing
Peter Magyar – Executive Vice President, Head of Global Accounts
Global Presence
ECI operates globally with offices in North America, Europe, and Asia, including major hubs in New York, London, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Lisbon.[28]
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