Pure Retirement hires chief technological officer

It recognises the importance of tech in the equity release sector

Pure Retirement hires chief technological officer

Lifetime mortgage lender Pure Retirement has announced the appointment of Leslie Baker (pictured) as its new chief technological officer.

As part of his role, he will focus on driving growth in the lender’s technological capabilities.

Baker brings nearly a quarter of a century of experience in IT across a number of industries. This has included warehousing and logistics, CAD and other intelligent design applications, and comprehensive financial service experience via stints in the investment banking and insurance sectors.

He had key successes during his own tenure as a software developer, during which he enjoyed an upward career trajectory that has enabled him to progress through managerial levels to his current position. He managed small and medium-sized development and IT teams where he oversaw diverse teams of mixed competencies.

Baker’s appointment follows that of Eleanor Thornhill as Pure Retirement’s new chief financial officer, who joined last month and brought significant cross-industry experience as an accountant and finance director for several organisations.

The company’s ongoing expansion underlines the lender’s recent growth and its commitment to ensuring it remains one of the leaders in the growing and mature lifetime mortgage market.

“Technology is likely to be a key differentiator as the equity release sector continues to grow,” Simon Hayton, chief operating officer at Pure Retirement, said.

Hayton added that as a company dedicated to using technology to enhance the user journey for advisers and customers, they are glad to have Baker join the company to help drive that side of the business.

Speaking on his appointment, Baker said he looks forward to helping Pure Retirement achieve further growth.

“The lifetime mortgage market is becoming an increasingly mainstream facet of the wider financial services landscape, and it’s great to not only be a part of it, but to be doing so with one of the market leaders. There’s scope to really drive both our business and wider market growth through technology,” he stated.