Funding Circle appoints Rob Straathof as new CEO

Funding Circle has announced the appointment of Rob Straathof as its new Chief Executive Officer, subject to regulatory approval, succeeding Lisa Jacobs, who will step down in 2027.

Straathof is expected to join the UK SME finance platform during the first half of 2027, with his official appointment date to be confirmed.

He brings extensive experience in SME lending, credit and fintech leadership, having previously spent a decade as CEO of Liberis, where he oversaw the company’s transformation from a UK small business lender into a global embedded finance platform.

During his tenure, Liberis expanded its product offering and international presence, providing more than $4bn in funding to over 100,000 small businesses.

Straathof is currently CEO of Grover, a Germany-based European technology subscription platform.

His appointment follows a search process led by Funding Circle’s Nomination Committee, supported by an independent executive search firm.

Straathof will succeed Lisa Jacobs, whose intention to step down was announced in September 2026.

Jacobs will continue to lead Funding Circle until Straathof joins, overseeing an orderly transition before leaving her role no later than September 2027.

Ken Stannard, Chair of Funding Circle, said: “Rob brings a deep understanding of small businesses, strong credit expertise and a proven track record of leading fintech businesses, in particular his decade scaling Liberis into a multi-product platform.

“He shares our conviction that small businesses deserve better access to finance, and has the experience and passion to build on our strong platform for growth. On behalf of the Board, I look forward to welcoming him to Funding Circle.”

Commenting on his appointment, Straathof highlighted the opportunity to build on Funding Circle’s existing strategy and technology capabilities.

“I’ve spent my career working with small businesses, and I’ve seen first-hand how much fast, fair access to finance is worth to them.

“Lisa and the team have built an outstanding business: a profitable, capital-light platform with distinctive strengths in credit and technology, and a growing range of products that meets more of small businesses’ financial needs.”

He added that his priority would be to use technology and data to expand access to finance for UK SMEs while building on the company’s existing foundations.

Jacobs welcomed the appointment, saying: “Over the last 16 years, Funding Circle has established itself as the leading finance partner for SMEs across the UK.

“I’m really pleased Rob will be taking up the reins to continue our mission, supported by our experienced and talented leadership and broader team of Circlers.”