About Us

Success depends on trust.

Gato pairs global expertise with regional insight, helping firms navigate local norms and build partnerships that last.

Our Leadership

  • Image of Tim Connelley

    Tim Connelly—Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer

    Tim Connelly is a financial technology entrepreneur with nearly 40 years of experience building infrastructure for global markets. At Gato, he combines U.S. regulatory expertise with international market knowledge to deliver reliable, compliant, and flexible trading solutions that help firms grow with confidence.

  • Image of Sajjad Somjee

    Sajjad Somjee—Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer

    Sajjad Somjee brings extensive experience in financial technology, with a career spanning the design and delivery of trading platforms, order management systems, and regulatory solutions across North America, Europe, and the GCC. Before co-founding Gato, he held senior roles leading product and engineering teams, where he built platforms trusted by broker-dealers, clearing firms, and global market participants.

  • Image of Joanna Connelly

    Joanna Connelly—Chief Administrative Officer

    Joanna Connelly is the Chief Administrative Officer at Gato Systems, where she leads administrative operations and drives organizational governance. She brings more than 25 years of experience from the legal field, grounding her work in strong regulatory understanding, disciplined execution, and structured operational support. Joanna is also active in community service, providing pro bono grant writing to nonprofits and serving on Human Relations and Participatory Budgeting Committees.

  • Image of Muhammad Badar

    Muhammad Badar—Chief Experience Officer

    Muhammad Badar is the Chief Experience Officer at Gato Systems, bringing international experience in client engagement, service strategy, and delivery across global financial markets. He has partnered with Tier-1 banks and major buy- and sell-side institutions, driving customer satisfaction, revenue growth, and streamlined operations. Known for bridging business and technology, Badar leads complex cross-functional initiatives that strengthen client relationships and support scalable enterprise performance.

  • Image of Kirit Teli

    Kirit Teli—Head of Business Development

    Kirit Teli is a financial-technology leader with deep experience in brokerage infrastructure, market operations, and business development across global markets. At Gato, he drives commercial growth and regional expansion, building the partnerships and client relationships that anchor the Company’s success. Known for his steady, pragmatic leadership, Kirit ensures Gato delivers both operational excellence and trusted market entry for every client.

The Gato Story

Gato was founded on a simple idea: firms should be free to focus on growth, not weighed down by outdated infrastructure. Too often, organizations are forced to choose between rigid, costly legacy systems or lightweight tools that lack institutional depth.

That’s where Gato comes in. We deliver enterprise-grade, modular infrastructure for trading and operations—with compliance built in and the flexibility to scale.

But we’re more than a platform. By combining robust technology with regulatory rigor, cultural fluency, and relationship-driven partnerships, we help clients enter new markets faster and operate with confidence.