CEO appointment

Funding Circle, the UK's leading SME finance platform, today announces the appointment of Rob Straathof as Chief Executive Officer, subject to regulatory approval. He brings a combination of deep SME finance expertise, credit experience and a track record of leading fintech businesses.

Rob’s appointment follows a search process led by the Nomination Committee, supported by an independent executive search firm, which considered a strong field of candidates.

Rob previously spent a decade as CEO of Liberis, leading its growth from a UK small business lender with a single partner, into a global embedded finance platform offering multiple products and providing over $4bn of funding to more than 100,000 small businesses. He is currently CEO of Grover, a leading European technology subscription platform based in Germany.

Rob will succeed Lisa Jacobs, whose intention to step down was announced on 8 September 2026. Rob will join in H1 2027, with his date of appointment to be confirmed in due course. In the meantime, Lisa will continue to lead the business and ensure a smooth and orderly handover, before stepping down by 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.”

Rob Straathof said: “It’s a real privilege to be joining Funding Circle. 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. The opportunity ahead remains outsized: to use technology and data to say yes to more of the UK’s small business owners. I look forward to working with the team to deliver on the clear strategy already in place, building on Funding Circle’s strong foundations and values-driven culture.”

Lisa Jacobs, CEO at Funding Circle, said: “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. He shares our deep commitment to backing SMEs to get the finance they need to grow and run their businesses and I’m looking forward to working with him to ensure a smooth handover.”