Stephan Wilcke has joined LendInvest as a senior adviser.
Wilcke was executive chairman of OneSavings Bank, until it became the first challenger bank to IPO in London in June 2014. Under his leadership, the management team executed an extensive turnaround strategy, transforming the bank into an institution worth over £410 million at the time of its flotation. After its listing, he continued to serve on the bank’s Board as a non-executive director until May 2016.
Previously, Wilcke was CEO of HM Treasury’s Asset Protection Agency, that ran from 2009 to 2012 to help a number of banks repair their balance sheets and stem losses caused by toxic assets.
He is currently a commissioner of the Jersey Financial Services Commission, and chairman of Amigo Loans. He was a former non-executive director of Greece’s Hellenic Financial Stability Fund.
At LendInvest, Wilcke will provide his knowledge and experience of entering financial markets and interacting with regulators to LendInvest’s directors and executive team. Specifically, as the first member of LendInvest’s newly formed Advisory Board, he will advise LendInvest on its corporate strategy to extend into the broader mortgage market.
He has been an investor in LendInvest loans both professionally and personally for a number of years.
Wince said: “Having followed the progress of the team for the past three years in various capacities, I have been incredibly impressed by what LendInvest has achieved. They are building a company with a distinctive culture that blends maturity with a desire to do things differently. It’s an exciting time to come on board.”
Christian Faes, co-founder and CEO of LendInvest, added: “LendInvest is now a leading name in specialist property finance, but we make no secret of our goal to be a mainstream financial services brand. The financial services world is one that’s subject to ever-growing layers of regulation, with new entrants like us under intense scrutiny. An open door to Stephan’s battle-hardened skills and extensive network will be invaluable to us as we continue to grow.”