About MortgageBrain
When MortgageBrain’s long-time CEO Mark Lofthouse announced his plans to retire in 2020, chairman of the board Peter Hill turned to Drax to help find a successor. From the shortlist Drax presented, the board appointed chartered accountant and ex-Defaqto CEO Zahid Bilgrami to steer the business through its next chapter of market innovation and delivery.
The Result
Peter Hill, Chair at MortgageBrain, said: “Zahid brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the business as a well-respected CEO with a proven track record. No matter how great a business is, a new person always has a valuable and fresh perspective. Zahid has made suggestions at pace, taking colleagues along with him, and it’s been fantastic to watch. He’s landed really well. It’s a testament to the quality of the individual that Drax helped us find. We now have a strong leadership team that’s in a really great position to take advantage of the legacy that has been created.”
He added: “What really stood out to me during Drax’s engagement was their passion around profiling the executive team to ensure a good candidate fit. The team’s data driven methodology was valuable and they produced a really clear roadmap in terms of how they would approach the task. The milestones were met and the updates were delivered in line with expectations. Ultimately, it was a well-planned and well-executed assignment. When we got to the end of it, Mathew and I had a little chuckle, because we did all of this never having met each other.”
Zahid Bilgrami, CEO at MortgageBrain, said: “I’m delighted to be taking over the leadership role. The business is well placed to provide new innovative fintech solutions into the mortgage and adjacent markets. It’s a really exciting time for the firm."
“This role felt like the natural next step for me, the team knew my background and areas of expertise prior to this search, so going through the process was very straightforward. The briefing information supplied regarding the role, leadership team and the company was thorough and although I had some initial concerns, Mat knowledgeably advised and guided me throughout the process. I undertook DRAX’s in house behavioural assessment tool PACE which was interesting and very beneficial in helping me make my decision. Since starting my role, Mat has kept in touch and provides valuable insights and updates on industry news”
At DRAX, we are committed to helping you reach your value-creation goals with data-led search tactics that ensure the right leaders are placed into your business. Contact Euan Corbett at ec@draxexecutive.com for an explorative discussion about your leadership change requirements within the financial services industry.
