Technology

Posted on December 9, 2019 by staff

First Direct founder appointed chairman of Dashly

Technology

Mortgage switching tool Dashly has announced the appointment of serial entrepreneur Mike Harris as chairman.

Harris founded First Direct, Prudential Banking Plc and its successor, Egg – which was the world’s largest internet bank under his direction.

The FinTech leader also co-founded the semantic web company Garlik, acquired by Experian in 2011, which had Tim Berners-Lee on its advisory board.

Harris has returned to the industry to support Dashly’s mortgage market comparison service.

The platform uses a combination of credit, current account, house price and up-to-date mortgage balance data to look for opportunities for its clients to save money.

In November it announced partnerships with Hawke Financial Services and Prudell Financial Services.

“More than any other sector, financial services feeds on people’s inertia,” said Harris.

“Dashly puts an end to this once and for all, which could be one of the most significant developments in financial services since the birth of internet banking.

“What also appealed to me about Dashly is its inclusivity and the way it works for all the elements in the mortgage ecosystem: borrower, lender and adviser alike.

“It is about empowering all the parties involved in the mortgage transaction rather than limiting them or somehow disintermediating them altogether.”

Ross Boyd, Founder, Dashly, added: “Mike is one of the most respected names in financial services and his understanding of the way the mortgage industry is being changed by technology is second to none. He immediately got what Dashly is all about and to have him onboard as chairman is a massive boost to everyone involved.”