Chief Executive Officer (UK & Europe)

Chief Executive Officer (UK & Europe)

Confidential FinTech / Consumer Lending Scale-Up

Location: London (Hybrid)

Region: UK & Europe

Salary: £220,000 - £300,000 + Bonus + Equity

Reporting To: Global Board & Investors

Sector: FinTech | Consumer Lending | Embedded Finance | Credit Technology

About the Opportunity

DRC Search has been exclusively retained by a high-growth, venture-backed FinTech business operating within the consumer lending and embedded finance space.

The organisation has built a market-leading technology platform that enables consumers to access flexible finance solutions through a seamless digital experience. Having established a strong position within the UK market and secured significant investment, the business is entering its next phase of growth across Europe.

As part of this expansion, the Board is seeking an exceptional Chief Executive Officer to lead the UK & European business, driving commercial growth, operational excellence, regulatory compliance and strategic expansion.

This is a rare opportunity to take ownership of a profitable, technology-led financial services business operating at scale, whilst shaping the next chapter of international growth.

Whilst the position is not yet officially live, the Board has approved the mandate and is currently assessing potential candidates with relevant experience in scaling technology-led lending, embedded finance, consumer credit and broader fintech businesses.

The Role

The CEO will have full P&L ownership across the UK and European operations and will be responsible for delivering ambitious growth targets whilst maintaining strong governance, risk management and customer outcomes.

Working closely with the Board, investors and executive leadership team, the successful candidate will lead the business through its next stage of expansion, focusing on market penetration, product innovation, customer acquisition and operational scalability.

Key responsibilities include:

• Develop and execute the UK & European growth strategy.
• Own full P&L responsibility and deliver sustainable revenue growth.
• Lead and inspire a high-performing executive leadership team.
• Drive expansion into new European markets.
• Build and maintain relationships with investors, regulators and strategic partners.
• Ensure regulatory compliance and strong governance across all jurisdictions.
• Oversee customer acquisition, retention and lifetime value strategies.
• Champion product innovation and technology-led transformation.
• Strengthen operational efficiency and scalability.
• Represent the organisation externally with customers, investors, regulators and the wider market.
• Partner with the Board on long-term strategic planning, M&A opportunities and fundraising activities.

Key Deliverables

• First 12 Months
• Deliver agreed revenue and profitability targets.
• Accelerate customer acquisition across existing and new markets.
• Expand the organisation's European footprint.
• Improve operational efficiency and margin performance.
• Strengthen executive leadership capability.
• Enhance strategic partnerships and distribution channels.
• Support future fundraising and growth initiatives.

Requirements

We are interested in speaking with CEOs, Managing Directors, General Managers and Divisional CEOs who have successfully scaled technology-led financial services businesses.

You will likely bring:

• CEO, Managing Director or General Manager experience within FinTech, Lending, Banking, Payments or Embedded Finance.
• Proven experience scaling a high-growth business through significant revenue growth.
• Strong commercial and operational leadership credentials.
• Experience operating within regulated financial services environments.
• Demonstrable success leading large multi-disciplinary teams.
• Experience working with Boards, investors and private equity or venture capital stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of customer acquisition, digital products and technology-led business models.
• Experience expanding businesses internationally would be highly advantageous.
• Exceptional stakeholder management and communication skills.

Ideal Background

Experience from one or more of the following environments would be highly relevant:

• Consumer Lending
• Embedded Finance
• Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL)
• Digital Banking
• FinTech Platforms
• Payments
• Credit Technology
• Financial Marketplaces
• Alternative Lending

Leadership Characteristics

The successful individual will demonstrate:

• Strategic thinking balanced with operational execution.
• Commercial ambition and growth mindset.
• Strong customer-centric leadership.
• Ability to build and scale high-performing teams.
• Data-driven decision making.
• Board-level credibility.
• Resilience within fast-paced, high-growth environments.
• Entrepreneurial approach combined with strong governance.

DRC Search is the executive search Company. We specialise in retained senior and C-suite appointments across the Technology, Product, Marketing and Data verticals.

To apply for this role please contact us at:

Toby Day

0203 640 2133

[email protected]

www.drc-search.com