From Paris to paradise, Deriv founder Jean-Yves Sireau brings global opportunity to Rarotonga.

When Jean-Yves Sireau touched down in Rarotonga recently with his wife, two youngest children, and senior members of his global leadership team, it was more than just a visit. It marked the beginning of a new chapter for Deriv — the global fintech company he founded 25 years ago — as it prepares to open its 26^th international office, right here in the Cook Islands.

Welcomed with ei (a first for the group), Jean-Yves immediately felt the warmth of the community — a spirit that resonated strongly with his vision for the future.

“We were touched by the welcome. It reminded us that real connection is at the heart of everything, whether it’s life or business,” says Jean-Yves, known affectionately by his team as JY.

From humble beginnings to global scale

Born in the UK and raised partly in France, Jean-Yves’ entrepreneurial journey took off in Hong Kong, where he worked in investment fund management before founding Deriv in 1999. His idea was simple but radical at the time: to democratise access to financial markets through the power of the internet.

The name Deriv comes from the word “derivative” — a nod to the company’s roots in financial markets, where derivatives are contracts based on the value of underlying assets like currencies, stocks, or commodities. From the very beginning, Deriv was designed to make complex financial tools more accessible to everyday traders around the world.

“It was about making global trading opportunities available to everyday people — not just the wealthy or institutions,” he explains.

Today, Deriv processes millions of transactions daily, (150 per second) serves over 3 million clients across 150 countries, and has a monthly trading volume of more than $650 billion. With a team of 1400+ employees spread across 26 offices, the company has been quietly revolutionising the online trading world — and is now preparing for its next major evolution.

Why Rarotonga?

Choosing the Cook Islands for Deriv’s next expansion wasn’t a decision made lightly. It was driven by a mix of strategic and cultural factors.

“The Cook Islands offers a highly functional system, an educated population, an English-speaking environment, and a strong connection to New Zealand’s legal structures,” Jean-Yves says. “It’s a place where things work — and where we believe we can find and nurture real talent.”

The time zone was another advantage — helping bridge the gap between Deriv’s South American and Asian offices, creating a seamless global customer service network.

The new Rarotonga branch will initially focus on compliance, customer service, and operations support, with a strong emphasis on career growth and global mobility for local staff.

“Our hope is to offer Cook Islanders opportunities to grow internationally, while staying rooted here,” he says.

How Deriv stays connected

Running a global company with offices spanning the world’s time zones is no small feat. Deriv’s secret? A deliberate, connected culture.

Daily communication happens through Slack, a real-time platform for messaging and collaboration. Major updates are shared during regular Company Town Halls, where co-CEOs Jean-Yves Sireau and Rakshit Choudhary address the entire workforce.

The company also maintains an intranet called Deriverse — a dynamic directory and newsroom for employees — and hosts an annual Leadership Summit in Cyberjaya, Malaysia, with smaller departmental summits held throughout the year.

“Staying connected isn’t an afterthought for us — it’s embedded into how we work,” Jean-Yves says. “It’s what allows us to feel like one company, even when we’re on opposite sides of the world.”

The future: Powered by AI

Looking ahead, Jean-Yves sees artificial intelligence playing a pivotal role in Deriv’s future.

“We aim to become the number one online trading company — not just by size, but by efficiency,” he says. “Company-wide adoption of AI is the key to scaling faster, smarter, and serving our customers better.”

Already, Deriv is integrating AI across operations, from customer service to trading technology, and encourages an “AI-first” mindset across departments.

Work, life and balance

Despite leading a global operation, Jean-Yves remains a hands-on father and family man. He credits the company’s co-CEO structure for allowing him to maintain balance — an arrangement he describes as “two places at once”.

“It’s an unusual model, but it works because Rakshit and I have worked together for years and are fully aligned,” he says.

A message for the Cook Islands

As Deriv plants new roots in Rarotonga, Jean-Yves is hopeful about what’s ahead — both for his company and for the local community.

“We see huge potential here,” he says. “If you bring curiosity, energy, and a willingness to learn, there’s no limit to what you can achieve — not just in the Cook Islands, but across the world.”

It’s a message of hope, resilience, and opportunity — the very qualities that built Deriv itself, one idea, one transaction, and one person at a time.

• Jaewynn McKay/Woven Pacific Communications