In what has been hailed as an unprecedented achievement by organisers, Aventum Group has been shortlisted for all five of the categories we entered at the UK Fintech Awards 2025.
The awards honour the best and brightest in the industry, spotlighting often groundbreaking achievements that push the sector forward. To be recognised not once, not twice, but five times - across categories covering leadership, technology and innovation - highlights the Aventum drive to redefine what is possible. Let’s meet the people and teams nominated at this year’s awards.
Hasani Jess - Nominated for Director of the Year
As Chief Technology Officer, Hasani is one of the key driving forces behind Aventum’s digital transformation. With 25 years of experience leading major technology initiatives at companies such as Visa, Deutsche Bank and IBM, Hasani has transformed Aventum’s technology division, scaling it into a core driver of Aventum’s strategic success.
A recognised CIO100 Leader, diversity champion and mentor, Hasani fosters a high-performance culture where innovation thrives, empowering his team to push boundaries. His visionary leadership and industry expertise make him a stand-out candidate for Director of the Year.
James Fairgrieve - Nominated for Innovator of the Year
As Head of Innovation at Aventum, James established the Innovation Lab - a dedicated team pushing technological boundaries through rapid experimentation. With 23 years of experience in shaping the industry, James played a key role in developing ATOMX and also launched key initiatives like the Bear Cave - a Dragon’s Den-style competition within Aventum and open to all colleagues.
His expertise in enterprise business process management and emerging technologies enables him to identify high-impact solutions as he continues to transform the industry.
Tanya Kukreja - Nominated for Rising Star of the Year
With a background in software development and architecture, Lead Architect, Tanya has played a crucial role in the design and implementation of ATOMX. Her innovative approach helped streamline operations, improving operational performance and enabling ATOMX to save over 1,000 staff hours per month and an anticipated $2m annually.
Recognised as an industry leader, Tanya was also a finalist for Digital Champion of the Year at the Women in Insurance Awards and is an advocate for diversity in fintech, inspiring the next generation of female leaders.
The Aventum Leadership Team - Nominated for Team of the Year
Formed in 2024 under the leadership of Chief Technology Officer, Hasani Jess, the team has led transformative change at scale across Aventum. Hasani, a leader with a career spanning blue-chip enterprises, is joined by an exceptional group of experts to shape Aventum’s technological evolution.
Tom Downs, a specialist in operational transformation; Tanya Kukreja, who ensures architectural scalability and efficiency; Adelaide Meal, a data expert driving business intelligence; Oli Harrison, a cybersecurity and AI-focused engineering leader; James Fairgrieve, the head of Aventum’s independent Innovation Lab; and Temi Onanuga, an experienced IT strategist driving digital change.
Together, they’ve built a 130-strong team - 25% of Aventum’s workforce - driving the creation of ATOMX, which is also nominated for an award of its own.
ATOMX - Nominated for Insurtech of the Year Award
Aventum’s game-changing insurance ecosystem, ATOMX is a AI powered integrated suite of innovative products that deliver the group’s fully featured insurance cloud platform. Built from scratch to meet the evolving needs of the Group ATOMX is self-funded with a $12 million investment and is a bold statement of Aventum’s commitment to transformation.
ATOMX delivers seamless integration and unparalleled efficiency, providing a foundation for limitless innovation and ensuring full control over data, processes and future development.
A Collective Celebration
Being shortlisted in five categories is a fantastic achievement for Aventum Group.
Highlighting our drive for progress, the strength of our leadership and the ingenuity of our technology innovators, the recognition is about the people who make Aventum what it is: a business that dares to be different, challenges the status quo and leads in shaping the future of the industry.
