Fintech brokerage startup set up by footballer Ryan Bertrand announces £1m seed funding
It’s a big week for England footballer Ryan Bertrand. Not only will he be fighting for his place in the Scotland match on Friday, his brokerage startup is also announcing it has raised £1m in seed funding.
Pacific & Orient Berhad, a Malaysian-listed company with a UK subsidiary, led the funding round, supplemented by angel investors.
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Bertrand, who won the Champions League with Chelsea in 2012, set up Canary Wharf-based Silicon Investing with entrepreneurs Louis Bell and Matthew Kirkham last year.
The company, which was formerly partnered with One Financial Markets and known as Silicon Markets, is currently awaiting licences and will offer clients the opportunity to trade in foreign exchange, indices and commodities. It will also be releasing cash equity products.
“Louis and Matt head up the majority of the work, but I like to get down to the office as and when I can,” Bertrand told City PM “I tend to play more of a role in the strategic side of things.”
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He added: “I find it quite refreshing to be able to switch off from football and the demands that that brings, and focus my mindset on another space that I genuinely enjoy. And it gives me an opportunity to create something really good within the financial sector too.
“It’s a nice relief. The demands of football can be a little bit hectic. And obviously I’ve got half an eye on post-football as well.”