Rate Announces Significant Investments to Accelerate Push to Become Nation’s Top Fintech
To help meet goal, renowned Fintech execs join to drive development of new end-to-end digital solutions beyond mortgage
CHICAGO (June 7, 2022)–Rate, a cutting-edge mortgage lender driven to be the nation’s top Fintech, announces significant investments to rapidly develop end-to-end digital solutions to serve customers across a diverse array of financial products beyond mortgages. End-to-end digital HELOCs are already available in 41 states and Washington, D.C., and end-to-end digital personal loans are currently being piloted in Illinois and soon to be rolled out nationally.
“Rate is committed to becoming the nation’s No. 1 Fintech,” says Rate President and CEO Victor Ciardelli. “Our company has long been the digital leader in mortgages, and we are perfectly positioned to use our incredible technology platform to offer awesome new end-to-end digital solutions that will make our customers’ lives easier and better.”
These new Fintech solutions will be designed for rapid scaling nationwide and feature low-friction customer experiences that emphasize speed, flexibility and convenience. Alongside Rate’s industry-leading digital mortgage customer experience, these new digital products will enable the company to develop broader, deeper, longer-lasting and higher value relationships with its customers.
“Our goal is nothing less than being the country’s top Fintech by creating incredible digital solutions that will make a real, positive difference in people’s lives,” says Ramesh Sarukkai, Rate’s Chief Product and Technology Officer. “And I am absolutely confident we have the tech team to make that happen.”
To drive these powerful Fintech initiatives, the company has added three highly experienced Fintech executives to its leadership team. Raman Muralidharan will serve as President of New Financial Products, reporting to Ciardelli. Reporting to Muralidharan are Anand Cavale, Executive Vice President and Head of Unsecured Lending Products; and Arun Tripathi, Executive Vice President and Head of New Secured Lending Products.
Before joining Rate, Muralidharan was EVP of Lending at HSBC, USA where he led the digitization and growth of the mortgage business and helped launch digital-first personal loan and credit card products. At Rate, he will direct the company’s overall expansion into new financial products.
“Rate has a tremendous opportunity to grow by offering additional products and services that meet our customers’ needs,” says Muralidharan. “Our goal is to produce game-changing Fintech solutions that provide unparalleled speed, ease and convenience for our customers.”
Cavale has previously held global leadership positions at Citi as Managing Director, Consumer Banking and later as the Head of Consumer Lending at SoFi. In his new role at Rate, he is responsible for building new businesses that facilitate consumer borrowing and spending working with the leadership team.
Tripathi most recently served as the Head of Mortgage Products, Pricing and Capital Markets at HSBC, USA before coming to Rate. Earlier, he worked at Bank of America and USAA in various leadership roles. In his new role at Rate, he is responsible for launching and growing new lines of business focused on offering new secured lending products to customers and prospects.
About Rate Companies
Rate Companies is a leader in mortgage lending and digital financial services. Headquartered in Chicago, the Rate Companies have more than 10,000 employees in over 850 branches across the U.S., serving all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Since its launch in 2000, Rate Companies have helped more than 1 million homeowners with home purchase loans and refinances, with a total loan volume of more than $116 billion in 2021 alone. The company has cemented itself as an industry leader by introducing innovative technology, offering low rates and delivering unparalleled customer service. Honors and awards include: Top Lender for Online Service for 2018 by U.S. News & World Report; Best Mortgage Lender for Online Loans and Best Mortgage Lender for Refinancing by NerdWallet for 2021; HousingWire’s 2020 Tech100 award for the company’s industry-leading FlashClose℠ technology; No. 3 ranking in Scotsman Guide’s 2021 list of Top Retail Mortgage Lenders; Chicago Agent Magazine’s Lender of the Year for six consecutive years; and Chicago Tribune’s Top Workplaces list for seven consecutive years. Visit rate.com for more information.