Kyle Augustin

CV – Kyle Augustin Kyle Augustin Kent, United Kingdom Exec Profile ● Known for building and scaling high-performing technology functions. Experienced in establishing blended onshore/offshore development models—including teams in the UK, Eastern Europe, and APAC—to accelerate delivery while maintaining quality and cost control. Part time Forex And Crypto day trader primarily trading Commodities, BTC and ETH – well aware of the Crypto market and integrated platforms and pricing. Overview • 20+ years in Financial Services Sectors • Banking • Private Equity Education • Bachelor of International Business & Finance Personal • Dual Citizen: NZ / UK • Location: Flexible - Executive Strengths Strategic and commercially focused CTO / CEO / COO with over 20 years of experience in financial services, fintech, SaaS, and private equity-backed organisations. Held senior roles including CIO, CTO, COO, and CEO—leading major digital transformations, M&A integrations, and IT restructures. Strong background in cybersecurity governance, IT risk management, infrastructure design, and enterprise platform delivery. (- ● • End to End Leadership • Growth Strategy Execution • M & A Strategy • M & A integration • Saas Product Scaling • PE Value Creation • Culture transformation • Board /Investor engagement Track Record of Executive Impact • • • SaaS Market Penetration & Scale-Up Led the growth of a disruptive B2B SaaS intermediary platform in the investment and mortgage advisory space—taking the business from launch to 8% UK market share. Secured integrations with all major market providers to create a scalable, API-first back-office ecosystem. M&A-Led Growth & Integration Strategy Architected and executed a transformative buy-and-build strategy from 2023 to 2025, this included the integration of seven development teams—across onshore and offshore locations—into a single, aligned delivery function. Data Proposition Leadership & DaaS Innovation Oversaw the creation and commercialisation of advanced data propositions across brands including Defaqto and VouchedFor. I directed significant investment into digital product innovation to enable Data-as-a-Service (DaaS) capabilities and recurring revenues. These initiatives delivered market-wide insights on product usage, investment trends, and peer comparisons, empowering financial institutions and advisers with actionable intelligence. Jan 24 to April 25 CEO Fintel IQ (SAAS) Rev – 15m Staff - 145 Responsible for forming a tech business from 9 acquisitions Appointed to architect and lead the formation of Fintel IQ—an integrated SaaS platform created through the strategic acquisition of nine specialist fintech companies between 2023 and 2024. Spearheaded product identification, acquisition execution, and post-merger integration to form a scalable, centralised business serving the IFA and mortgage intermediary market. Built a cohesive product suite spanning compliance, data services, CRM, and training—embedding SaaS solutions into every stage of the advice and mortgage journey. Led commercial, product, and go-to-market functions to drive customer growth and unlock cross-sell value. Key Achievements • • • Integrated 9 businesses into a single, unified SaaS operating model Closed the company’s largest-ever multi-year enterprise agreement. Launched a digital protection product within 9 months from concept to market CV – Kyle Augustin Aug 2019 to Dec 2023 Group Chief Operating Officer Fintel Rev – 70m Staff - 600 Responsible for Change, Operations, Business Integration and Digitisation As a key member of the executive leadership team, led enterprise-wide transformation and operational strategy for Fintel—a leading UK fintech platform serving financial distributors and intermediaries. Focused on delivering value creation through scalable infrastructure, digitisation, and strategic M&A integration. Directed the design and implementation of a new operating model to support rapid growth, align business units, and unlock cross-functional efficiencies. Played a central role in identifying high-impact growth opportunities, forming strategic partnerships, and ensuring synergy realisation across acquisitions. Key Achievements • Architected and launched a group-wide transformation programme to modernise systems, processes, and governance • Designed and implemented a scalable operating model and restructured business units for functional excellence • Delivered a unified ERP and CRM framework, enhancing operational visibility and customer intelligence Aug 2023 to Dec 2023 Managing Director SimplyBiz Intermediaries Rev – £25m Staff - 150 Responsible for Change, Marketing, Compliance, Sales, HR, IT, Product, Digital and Operations. Led the strategic transformation and day-to-day operations of SimplyBiz—a leading RegTech and compliance solutions provider supporting one-third of the UK’s IFA and mortgage intermediary market. Directed a comprehensive value creation strategy across all business functions, including Sales, Marketing, Compliance, Product, HR, IT, and Digital. Focused on repositioning the business as a digital-first platform, embedding technology to enhance customer value, unlock new revenue streams, and futureproof core operations. Played a critical role in navigating the organisation through the post-Covid landscape—restructuring for resilience, efficiency, and growth. Key Achievements • Delivered revenue growth by repositioning offerings around premium products, pricing, and talent • Launched a digital platform providing Data-as-a-Service (DaaS) to financial product providers, establishing a new scalable revenue stream June 2017 to July 2019 Chief Information and Technology Officer Downing LLP Rev – 38m Staff - 200 Accountable for all technology, digital, UX and change. Held executive responsibility for enterprise transformation at Downing LLP, a private equity firm focused on fintech and sustainable investments. Led cross-functional initiatives across Technology, Operations, Risk, and Change to modernise and scale the business. Oversaw the full digital migration of a £1.5bn fund manager, replacing legacy systems with streamlined, data-driven processes to support scalable growth and deliver a unified customer view. In addition to executive duties, served as a board advisor across Downing’s venture portfolio—providing strategic input on product development, technology strategy, and operating models. Key Achievements • Digitised the investment platform for VCT, IHT, and EIS products, driving efficiency and investor transparency • Launched the Downing Crowd investment platform, expanding market reach and product accessibility • Established nearshore and offshore development teams (Cardiff and Ukraine) to support agile product innovation and reduce time-to-market CV – Kyle Augustin June 2017 to July 2019 Board Advisor Downing Ventures Fund Series A & Series B Responsible for due diligence and product review on all Downing Ventures investments. Alongside executive responsibilities at Downing LLP, provided strategic oversight and advisory support across Downing Ventures—its fintech-focused investment division. Played a critical role in evaluating and shaping early- and growth-stage investments, with a focus on operational scalability, product viability, and regulatory readiness. Frequently appointed as a board advisor to portfolio companies, offering guidance on technology strategy, customer experience, go-to-market, and governance. Key Focus Areas • Conducted due diligence on technology, product strategy, P&L, and regulatory compliance (e.g. GDPR) • Partnered with founders and investors to improve scalability, monetisation, and operational maturity • Acted as a bridge between investor expectations and operational execution across the fintech portfolio Notable Portfolio Involvements • Exonar – Enabled automated GDPR compliance through enterprise data discovery and mapping • Credit Kudos – Pioneered use of open banking data to provide affordability-based credit scoring • FundingXchange – Developed B2B loan comparison and API platform, improving SME lending efficiency Aug 2014 to Dec 2016 Chief Technology Officer Vanquis Rev – 204m Staff - 1800 Responsible for all procurement, technology and process change including digital products. Held executive leadership responsibility for digital strategy, technology transformation, and procurement at one of the UK’s fastest-growing FTSE 100 challenger banks. Led the build-out of Vanquis’ digital retail lending platform— driving strategic partnerships with Pay4Later and Argos to launch a point-of-sale credit solution. Orchestrated the company’s shift from a single-product to a diversified consumer finance business, introducing loans and insurance alongside credit cards. Scaled the technology and change organisation to meet rapid growth demands, while embedding enterprise-wide data intelligence to support a 2-million-strong customer base. Delivered a step-change in efficiency and profitability by renegotiating core processing contracts, unlocking over £30M in cost savings. Key Achievements • Delivered Vanquis’ award-winning mobile app, enhancing customer acquisition and digital engagement • Built the technology infrastructure enabling Vanquis’ expansion into multi-product consumer finance • Scaled the IT & Change function from 96 to 212 staff in under two years to support enterprise innovation Mar 2014 to Sep 2014 Programme Consultant (Interim) Global Blue Acquisition by SilverLake Responsible for provision of top-level consultancy with the world’s largest retail tax free shopping. Engaged by Global Blue, a global leader in tourism tax-free shopping, to support its acquisition by Silver Lake and lead a targeted transformation of its technology and product organization. Operated in an executive advisory capacity, focusing on operational readiness, product innovation, and delivery scalability during a pivotal ownership transition. Provided end-to-end assessment and redesign of the product development lifecycle to align with private equity expectations for growth, innovation, and cost efficiency. Key Achievements • Developed and implemented a product modernization roadmap, streamlining the suite while reducing the cost base • Developed the operating model for a distributed in-sourced and outsourced company. CV – Kyle Augustin Feb 2012 to Mar 2014 Chief Information Officer Close Brothers (Asset Finance) Rev – £112m Staff - 290 Responsible for leading IT & technology leadership within a specialist SMB business bank operation Brought in as part of the senior leadership team to lead the digital and operational transformation of Close Brothers Asset Finance—part of one of the UK’s most established merchant banking groups. Tasked with building a futureready operating model to support business growth, improve service delivery, and centralise core infrastructure. Led a £20M end-to-end transformation program, modernising systems, digitising customer and dealer interactions, and laying the foundation for SaaS delivery within a highly regulated environment. Served as a key strategic advisor to the board on all matters related to technology, change, and operational resilience. Key Achievements • Spearheaded enterprise-wide transformation across IT and business services, aligning with a £20M investment roadmap • Designed and deployed a private cloud infrastructure, enabling scalable and secure SaaS capability • Implemented mission-critical systems including Microsoft CRM, Dealer Portals, and Business Intelligence tools • Acted as a board-level advisor on technology strategy, regulatory alignment, and digital risk Roles Prior to 2012 • LeasePlan UK – Programme Manager (1 year) – Global Car Leasing and Finance Provider. • Zintel Cogent – Chief Information Officer (1 year1) – New Zealand / Australians Telecommunications Business • Business Technology Group – Senior Partner (10 years) – Technology resellers (Cisco, Microsoft, Juniper, Citrix) and Change Consultancy