Former MOO Exec joins LendInvest to lead tech development

By Bridging Loan Directory 6th July 2016

LendInvest, the UK’s online specialist mortgage lender, has recruited Mike Nuttall as the company’s first VP of Engineering as it continues to scale up the technology side of the business.

Mike joins LendInvest with over 15 years’ senior management experience and has led technology development for fast-growing technology companies in sectors such as e-commerce, payments and gaming.

At LendInvest, Mike will be responsible for managing the direction, goals and efficiency of the technology team which now represents over 40% of LendInvest’s workforce. In particular Mike will help implement Agile methods, of which he is a passionate advocate, allowing the company to deliver multiple technical work streams simultaneously.

Most recently, Mike was VP of Technology at Moo.com, the online printing company where he spent almost three years. He oversaw Moo’s technical development and worked closely with product, user experience and creative departments for a seamless rollout of technology as that business scaled.

Previously, Mike was interim VP of Engineering at FanDuel, the largest daily fantasy sports company, as well as Chief Technology Officer at both Doctors.Net.UK, the professional doctors network, and MedicAnimal, the online pet healthcare store. Earlier in his career, Mike built technology at Walt Disney, Visa and Ericsson.

Christian Faes, Co-founder and CEO of LendInvest, said:

“We took our time to find the best person to drive our technology strategy. During that search every road led us back to Mike. Since meeting Mike and talking to him about our own tech challenges and goals, it’s been clear that he’s a great fit and a natural tech leader. As LendInvest continues to make a substantial investment in the development of its technology, it is great to have someone of Mike’s calibre leading that part of the business.

“In the time that Mike was at Moo, it grew three times in size; during his time at MedicAnimal, the company acquired five competitors. Mike is hugely experienced in building highly scalable and highly transactional technology to match a company’s pace in a fast-growth phase.”

Mike Nuttall, VP of Engineering of LendInvest, added:

“I’ve always been driven by the idea of taking something traditional and finding a whole new, modern way to make it better. Mortgages are a great example of that. Anyone who has bought – or tried to buy – a property has a bad story to tell about their mortgage application. It’s an experience that is ripe for improvement with technology.

“There aren’t that many financial services businesses that are as innovative or brave as LendInvest. Many have great products to develop, but from a technology perspective, they are often encumbered with old, legacy systems, or don’t have the confidence or knowledge to push the boundaries of what’s gone before. LendInvest is doing something very different and it’s exciting to be a part of it.”

Founded in 2013, LendInvest has now originated over £660 million of loans for borrowers seeking mortgage finance on terms lasting up to three years. In the last year, the company grew its team from 30 to over 100 employees and attracted £39 million in equity investment from two international investors.