Maria Shenouda Joins Base Markets as Head of Sales
Maria Shenouda has joined newly launched Dubai-based CFDs broker Base Markets as Head of Sales. She brings more than 18 years of financial sales experience across the GCC and MENA region.
Maria Shenouda has been appointed Head of Sales at Base Markets, a newly launched CFDs broker based in Dubai. The hire adds a senior sales executive with a long record in the Gulf and wider MENA markets to a young company that is still building its client base. Shenouda previously served as Sales Director at MENA-focused broker Daman Markets, and her move signals where Base Markets intends to focus its growth.
This article covers Shenouda's professional background, what the appointment tells us about the company's strategy, what she has said about her plans, and what it may mean for traders, family offices and introducing brokers considering the firm.
Who Is Maria Shenouda?
Shenouda has spent most of her career in client-facing financial roles, and much of that work has been in the Gulf. According to her LinkedIn post announcing the move, she has more than 18 years of financial sales experience across the GCC and MENA. Her career path combines large international brokerage experience with relationship management roles in Dubai.
Her most recent role before Base Markets was Sales Director at Daman Markets, a broker focused on the MENA region. Before joining Daman, she spent six years at StoneX (NASDAQ: SNEX), the group that operates the Forex.com and City Index trading brands. During her time in Dubai she held roles including Senior High-Net-Worth Client Relationship Manager and Associate Director of Global Business, Relationship Management. Earlier in her career, she worked as a Relationship Manager at Swissquote.
Maria Shenouda: Career Snapshot
| Organisation | Role mentioned in the announcement | Relevance to Base Markets |
|---|---|---|
| Base Markets | Head of Sales | Current appointment; leads sales strategy for the brokerage |
| Daman Markets | Sales Director | Most recent role; MENA-focused broker |
| StoneX (NASDAQ: SNEX) | Six years in total, including Dubai client and global business roles | Experience at a group that operates the Forex.com and City Index brands |
| Swissquote | Relationship Manager | Earlier client relationship experience |
About Base Markets
Base Markets is a newly launched CFDs broker. The company was founded earlier this year by Alex Kolpokchi, previously Head of Middle East at Pepperstone. It is domiciled in Mauritius, and it appears to be focusing first on the MENA region and Arabic-speaking clients. Shenouda's appointment fits that direction, given her experience with high-net-worth clients and sales teams across the Gulf.
The company has also recently hired Nazim Moussaoui, another Pepperstone MENA alumnus, as Head of Premium Clients and Partnerships. Taken together, the early leadership hires point to a team built around regional relationships and premium client segments rather than a broad consumer marketing push.
What Shenouda Says About the Role
In her LinkedIn post, Shenouda said Base Markets appealed to her because the business is built around core brokerage services. She pointed to experienced staff, reliable infrastructure and payments, strong controls, and consistent client support as the foundations of the firm. These are the areas that matter most to traders when they assess a broker, and they are also the areas where new brokers are often judged over time.
She also outlined her plans for the sales function. Shenouda said she intends to build a team focused on expertise, transparency and long-term relationships. Her target groups include:
- High-net-worth individuals
- Family offices
- Introducing brokers
- Corporate clients
All of these target clients are located across the GCC and the wider MENA region. Shenouda thanked Alex Kolpokchi for the opportunity and invited traders, family offices and introducing brokers to contact her directly.
Why a Sales Hire Like This Matters
For a broker in its early stages, the head of sales usually shapes three things: which client segments the firm targets, how it builds partnerships with introducing brokers, and how it sets the standard for client relationships. Shenouda's stated focus on high-net-worth clients and introducing brokers suggests Base Markets will rely on relationship-led growth rather than mass retail acquisition.
This approach has consequences for clients. Relationship-focused brokers often offer more direct account management, but the quality of service depends heavily on execution, funding reliability and support response times. An appointment alone does not prove any of these, so traders should judge the firm on its operational record as it develops.
How This Affects Traders Considering Base Markets
If you are evaluating Base Markets, the leadership change is one data point among many. A practical approach is to check the following before opening an account:
- Regulatory status: Confirm which regulator, if any, supervises the entity you would contract with, and check that the entity name matches the regulator's register. Mauritius domicile alone does not tell you the full picture of client protection.
- Account terms: Read the spreads, commissions, swap fees, minimum deposit and withdrawal conditions in the client agreement, not only the marketing pages.
- Payments: Ask how deposits and withdrawals are processed and how long they typically take, since Shenouda herself highlighted payments as a core area.
- Support: Test response times with a pre-account question before depositing funds.
- Introducing broker terms: If you are an IB or a family office, ask for the partnership and rebate terms in writing.
Trading CFDs involves a high level of risk, and most retail accounts lose money. Only trade with capital you can afford to lose, and be cautious about any broker that is new to the market until it has a track record you can verify.
How This Compares With Established Brokers
Base Markets is a newly launched firm, so its track record is short. Traders who want a longer operating history can compare it with established brokers that serve similar regions. Our broker reviews cover several options, including XM Group and FBS Inc, which can serve as benchmarks for regulation, account types, payment methods and support when you assess a newer provider.
Frequently Asked Questions About Maria Shenouda and Base Markets
Readers who want to know more about the appointment, and what it means in practice, will often look for the following answers.
Next Steps for Readers
Traders, family offices and introducing brokers who want to learn more about Base Markets can use the contact invitation Shenouda included in her announcement. Before committing funds, compare the firm's published terms with those of other brokers, check the regulatory details yourself, and monitor how the company performs over the coming months. Our PU Prime review and similar guides can help you build a checklist for evaluating any new broker.
Further reading: Stock market (Wikipedia).
We will keep this Maria Shenouda report updated as new information comes in.
