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OnDeck confirmed that Chris McCall will join the business in the newly created role, reporting to current chief risk officer Dr Nicholas Brown.
McCall brings decades of experience across credit and risk, including a stint as executive director and head of group decision sciences at Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA).
He has also held senior roles at US-based banks, including Citizens Bank in New York, where he was head of credit and pricing for consumer lending, as well as senior positions at Capital One and OnDeck US.
His career across major banks and technology-led lenders spans credit strategy, pricing, analytics, modelling and risk governance.
McCall said he was excited to join the team at a time when data, technology and automation are reshaping the lending experience for small businesses.
“Digital lending has enormous potential, but realising that potential requires drawing on the thousands of data points available to build a comprehensive view of each business’s creditworthiness, knowing when more information is needed, and maintaining clear oversight around those decisions.
“Understanding how Australian small businesses think and behave is critical for designing lending experiences that meet their needs and are underpinned by sound risk management.
“I’m looking forward to bringing my experience from overseas markets to OnDeck and contributing to the broader evolution of SME lending in Australia.”
Meanwhile, OnDeck CEO Cameron Poolman said the newly created role reflects the lender’s focus on disciplined growth, with its lending strategy and continued investment in technology and automation underpinned by strong governance and sound credit judgement.
“As we continue to grow, our priority is to balance the speed and simplicity that small businesses value with strong credit discipline, robust risk management, and clear customer safeguards. That means investing in the right people, systems and governance to support both strong customer outcomes and disciplined growth,” he said.
“Chris brings decades of experience in credit modelling, analytics and risk management from both the Australian and US markets. He understands traditional banking as well as technology-led lending, and that breadth of experience will be valuable as we continue to evolve and strengthen our credit strategy.
“He also knows OnDeck, so he understands both the business and what we’re trying to achieve. Bringing that expertise in-house strengthens our senior risk capability and supports our next phase of growth.”
Focus and expansion
The appointment comes as OnDeck Australia continues to expand its lending proposition, with the non-bank lender increasing its loan limits and introducing greater automation across its products this year.
In February, OnDeck lifted the maximum loan size for its Lightning Loan product from $175,000 to $200,000, following a 42 per cent increase in loan applications in the December quarter. The lender said 34 per cent of applications were from businesses seeking funding for expansion, making growth the leading loan purpose.
The following month, OnDeck increased the limit for its Lightning Loans Plus product to $300,000 and introduced instant renewals of up to $60,000 for eligible existing customers.
[Related: OnDeck lifts unsecured loan cap, adds instant renewals]
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