Love Finance hires ex-Monzo director as its head of credit and risk
Love Finance, the UK’s fastest-growing SME lender and broker, has today announced the hiring of Selen Cagirgan as its new head of credit and risk, further expanding its leadership team as the company continues its rapid growth. Cagirgan will lead Love Finance’s underwriting, credit, and risk operations across its lending division.
In her new role, she will be responsible for shaping the company’s credit strategy, strengthening risk controls, and developing scalable frameworks to support sustainable growth. Cagirgan will also play a key role in refining data-driven lending models and building new product risk structures as Love Finance continues to scale. She will report directly to Alex O’Malley, chief commercial officer of Love Finance, working closely with the leadership team to balance rapid growth with strong governance and customer-focused lending decisions.
With over 15 years’ experience across leading fintech’s and financial institutions, Cagirgan brings deep expertise in credit analytics, portfolio management, and risk governance. She previously served as head of credit risk at Monzo Bank, where she built the bank’s credit risk framework, and most recently at LemFi, where she launched and rapidly scaled its lending arm within seven months. Her proven track record in combining advanced analytics with practical lending experience makes her an ideal fit for Love Finance’s fast-paced, technology-driven growth journey.
Selen Cagirgan comments: “Love Finance is changing how small businesses access funding, making it faster, fairer, and more accessible. I’m excited to join a team that’s pushing boundaries in business lending, and to use my experience to help more SMEs get the support they need to grow.”
Alex O’Malley, chief commercial officer at Love Finance comments: “As we enter this crucial stage of growth, Selen’s hire strengthens our lending capabilities. Her experience and strategic approach align perfectly with where we’re headed as a business. We’re thrilled to welcome her to the Love Finance team.”
In addition to Selen’s appointment, Love Finance has also hired Tina While-Cooper as the new head of HR, policy & operations who joins on the same date. Together, these hires reinforce the company’s commitment to making business finance simple, fast, and beautiful.