LendInvest promotes senior executive to CEO role
LendInvest, the UK’s leading marketplace for property finance, has announced that its co-founder and CEO, Christian Faes, is handing over day-to-day management of the business to a long-serving member of the management team.
From 13 January, Rod Lockhart becomes CEO of LendInvest and joins the company’s board of directors. Christian Faes, who co-founded LendInvest in 2008, remains fully committed to the business and will stay employed by the company in the role of executive chairman.
Rod Lockhart joined LendInvest in 2015 and under his direction, LendInvest’s capital markets and fundraising activities have grown exponentially. The company’s lending capital base has increased to £1.8bn in the last four years, and Rod has personally overseen LendInvest’s £259m RMBS securitisation (AAA-rated) as well as a number of large investments from investors such as HSBC, Citigroup, Nomura and National Australia Bank.
Rod has had a close working relationship with Christian Faes and his co-founder, Ian Thomas, even before joining LendInvest. Between 2013 and 2015, Rod acted as LendInvest’s external fund manager while working as a senior director at CBRE.
Christian Faes commented: “After 11 years my co-founder and I are extremely proud of what we’ve built. LendInvest is a powerhouse in UK fintech – a company that has raised almost £2bn, has been consistently profitable, and has proven that it is a financially viable and sustainable business.
“The company is in an excellent position and no-one is better placed than Rod to take over day-to-day management of the business. This will allow me to focus on what I love doing as a founder and entrepreneur, which is the outward facing work for the company and working on our strategy and vision.
“Ian and I have worked with Rod for more than seven years, both while he was at CBRE and then as part of our team, and he has been an important partner and instrumental in helping us achieve the success that we have.
“LendInvest remains a founder-led business and I am still completely committed to building the leading mortgage lender in the UK. I’m looking forward to working closely with Rod, the wider team, and the board as we roll out the company’s long-term strategy.”
Rod Lockhart added: “I’m honoured to become CEO of LendInvest at such an exciting time in its growth. Under Christian’s leadership, LendInvest has become a powerhouse for UK fintech – one that is consistently profitable and able to demonstrate its sustainability, while investing in innovation and continually challenging outdated industry norms.”
Chris Barnes, partner of Atomico & board director of LendInvest, added: “We’re delighted to see this natural shift in the LendInvest leadership team. The company and its shareholders will continue to benefit from the clarity of Christian’s vision for LendInvest over the long-term, and will reap the rewards of Rod’s stewardship at an operating level. This is promising news for one of UK fintech’s biggest success stories.”
