Funding Options poaches Google strategy boss to head marketing arm

Funding Options continues to strengthen its management team after launching the Netherlands and as it prepares to launch new products.

Funding Options has poached a Google strategy boss to lead marketing at the small business finance broker.  

David Keene joins the London-based fintech as chief marketing officer, which said he will be expected “to expand its customer base in the UK, Netherlands and Europe”, and promote the launch of new products.

Funding Options, founded in 2012, uses its platform to match UK small firms seeking finance with its 50-strong panel of bank and non-bank lenders including HSBC and iwoca. The broker said it arranges more than £100m of financing a year to thousands of businesses.

It launched a partnership with Ducth banking powerhouse ING to arrange funding for small firms in the Netherlands in February.

Keene is currently head of strategy & operations, Go-To-Market, EMEA at tech giant Google, where he has worked for six years in a variety of senior marketing roles.

Prior to that, Keene worked in the UK and internationally in leadership roles at Salesforce, Oracle and SAP.  

‘Critical point’

Keene joins the business in July, as the start up continues to beef up its management team.

In April, it hired former Morgan Stanley and Barclays banker Simon Cureton as its new commercial director, and has previously added Alastair Preacher as chief product officer and sales director Dean Spencer.

The broker is led by founder and chief executive Conrad Ford (pictured).

Funding Options managing director Ryan Edwards-Pritchard said: “We have been focused on building our senior leadership to support us at this critical point and are therefore delighted that David is joining the team as he brings a wealth of experience in leading EMEA functions and growing and scaling sales revenue for digital businesses.”

Keene, the group’s incoming chief marketing officer, added: “Now is a very exciting time to be joining Funding Options’ skilled team, which is committed to delivering breakthrough products that make a real difference to the small business community.”