Finova, the mortgage and savings software provider, has appointed David Espley as chief technology officer as part of a broader push to strengthen its senior leadership team.

Espley (pictured), who has more than two decades of experience in technology and product development across financial services, energy and legal technology, will be responsible for leading the company’s technology strategy.

His remit includes scaling Finova’s product suite, expanding the use of artificial intelligence and cloud-native systems, and improving outcomes for lenders and brokers.

He was most recently chief technology officer at Kaluza, where he headed a team of more than 400 people across the UK, Europe, North America and Australia, delivering AI-driven platforms for energy retailers.

Earlier roles included senior technology leadership at Hargreaves Lansdown, where he oversaw accelerated digital product delivery, and at LexisNexis, where he managed a global technology budget of over $60m and introduced cloud migration practices.

Espley’s appointment follows the recent arrival of Gareth Richardson as chief executive, signalling Finova’s determination to invest in its executive bench as it prepares for the next stage of growth.

Espley said: “I’m delighted to be joining Finova at such a pivotal time in its journey. The mortgage and savings industry is at an inflection point, where technology can truly transform the way lenders and brokers serve their customers.

“My focus will be on helping Finova’s clients achieve better outcomes by harnessing the power of AI, cloud, and modern product delivery – all while ensuring resilience, speed, and scalability.”

Richardson added: “David brings an outstanding track record of leading technology teams in complex, regulated industries and scaling digital platforms for millions of users worldwide.

“His appointment strengthens our leadership team and underlines our ambition to be the technology partner of choice for lenders and brokers across the UK.”