Celebrating Experience at Phi

“It was never about taking the “low hanging fruit” approach, it was more like planting the best seed, taking immense care to allow growth, then reaching out for the best fruit on the furthest branches.”
Vlad Morosanu – Head of Legal and Compliance, Phi

Life at Phi Series: Celebrating the depth of experience of some of our longest-tenured talent

Phi has grown thanks to people who bring expertise, commitment, and resilience. As the capital markets technology landscape has evolved over the past decade, so have the individuals who helped shape our journey.

In this edition of our Life at Phi series, we highlight three colleagues whose long-standing contributions reflect the culture, and shared values that define Phi Partners.

We spoke with Vlad Morosanu, Corina Dinculescu, and Dirk Apel about their time at Phi.

Meet Vlad, Corina and Dirk

Vlad leads Phi’s global Legal & Compliance function, covering commercial and mobility matters.

“My journey in the company started about 13 years ago, as the proud owner of employment contract no. 1 in Romania. The initial role involved managing all operational aspects of the Bucharest centre, which grew at an astonishing speed to more than 100 employees in less than 5 years. As we grew and started consolidating support functions across multiple regions, my role naturally shifted to a global support function of the Legal & Compliance role, which I currently hold.”

Corina has worked as a business analyst at Phi since joining in 2010.

“Sometimes my role at client projects evolved to Service Delivery Manager, Team Lead, Release Manager, but even so, I have always been a Business Analyst at heart. I have been working mainly on “Change the Bank” projects with Summit during these years, front to back but being specialised on the back-office side (settlements, confirmations, payments) and Accounting. In terms of financial instruments, I have covered most of them, from IRDs to Fixed Incomes, FX trades, Equities and Must products.”

Dirk joined Phi in 2013 as Head of Summit DACH, managing Phi’s first Summit application managed service for a German client.

“Bringing with me 12 years of Summit team head and project management experience from working at a client bank and an extensive network of Summit contacts both from the German Summit user group as well as the EMEA Summit user group, I later took on the role of “Head of Summit practice” for Phi, in parallel to my full-time client role. Due to the rapid growth of the company and to allow for more scalability, I am now primarily dedicated to client chargeable work and the management of some of our client delivery portfolio.”

What Has Kept You at Phi?

Problem-solving, variety, and strong relationships are key reasons people stay at Phi.

For Vlad, the constant challenge has been important:

“What kept me here is a combination of several factors, which include: the challenge, the people and trusting relationships. As my role has always required operating in a dynamic and high-stakes environment; I’m always excited about the idea of solving a complicated project or making a difference.

“Some of the top talent in the industry work at Phi, and it has created a unique blend of experience and expertise. Finally, the company, especially the executive and leadership team, have always shown great trust in me.”
Vlad

For Corina, variety has shaped her experience at Phi:

“I remember with pleasure, old times, when the Bucharest office opened its doors and we were just a bunch of people. And it’s rewarding to think that I am a part of Phi’ success and maybe my efforts have contributed in what is Phi today.

“I think the diversity of the projects and the people of Phi are the two ingredients that kept me here over the years. I couldn’t imagine myself in a monotone role, with the same tasks day by day. With Phi, I have the opportunity to change projects and to experience new clients, environments, and technologies. I love this! I am proud that on each project I’ve done 100%, making the client very happy. I am also proud that I have a beautiful family so I have found a balance between my professional and personal life.”
Corina

For Dirk, the appeal has been the continuous learning:

“The answer is a combination of growth and purpose. Phi Partners gave me access to a world of different challenges, placing me with clients across Europe and beyond. It’s one thing to see different countries, but it’s another to navigate their diverse cultures, business maturities, and complex technologies firsthand.

“That journey wasn’t just “exposure”; it was a 12-year masterclass in what truly works. Today, when I’m faced with a client’s most difficult issue, I have a deep reservoir of experience to draw from. Being able to confidently guide them to a solution is a satisfaction that never gets old, and it’s what keeps me engaged.”
Dirk

What Is Behind Phi’s Success?

Phi’s growth is supported by experienced leadership, strong talent, and a focus on thoughtful strategy.

“The working environment has historically been really fast paced and dynamic, even though, with growth also came structure and refinement. We have a strong foundation and a great leadership team, enabling us to focus on planning and executing carefully orchestrated strategies.”
Vlad

“Huge congrats go to the recruitment team, they have this ability to find and recruit the best people in branch. Internally at Phi, you will find a relaxing atmosphere with people engaged in different initiatives. My colleagues are nice people, very skilled on their domain, ready to help when needed.”
Corina

Dirk also highlights how growth changes the way a company operates:

“The company has changed since I started. There is a well-known tipping point of circa.150 employees when a growing company radically changes (“Dunbar’s number”). It is the point “beyond which members of any social group lose their ability to function effectively in social relationships.” Below this number “everybody knows everyone” but above it the company “feels” very different and a whole new set of governance processes are required. Phi Partners has climbed across this point as well, growing from a small start-up to a mid-sized Financial Markets IT Consultancy.”
Dirk

At Phi, we are grateful to all our people, from new graduates to experienced experts. As the company continues to grow, we look forward to the next chapter and to building sustainably.

“The ambitions of the company only expanded with its size, and that always created new ideas, new challenges and new opportunities. It was never about taking the “low hanging fruit” approach, it was more like planting the best seed, taking immense care to allow growth, then reaching out for the best fruit on the furthest branches.”
Vlad