CBA director joins OnDeck as operations chief

Kameron Ahmad has been named OnDeck Australia’s head of operations. He joins the online small business lender from CBA, where he played a central role in facilitating the referral partnership between the two groups.

Mr Ahmad was a director in corporate and commercial finance at CBA, and was also a major contributor in the design and execution of the major bank’s strategy in the alternative lending industry.

OnDeck Australia CEO Cameron Poolman said Mr Ahmad is a natural fit for the role, bringing a wealth of corporate finance experience and a strong understanding of the lender’s vision.

Mr Ahmad said he is excited to join OnDeck as the business continues to grow rapidly.

“I’ll be focused on building out our local capability to ensure we’re best placed to help small business customers meet their goals by getting access to working capital,” he said.

In addition to Mr Ahmad’s appointment, OnDeck has recruited Safaa Darwich, Alex Khalil, Gregory Vetsikas and Ikram Sadee to provide further support for the company’s operations team.

Mr Poolman said the new appointments bring the total number of OnDeck staff to 27, and is evidence of its strong growth in Australia.

“OnDeck Australia is growing rapidly as small business owners embrace an alternative lending solution that truly meets their needs,” he said.

“The calibre of the team we are building at OnDeck, with deep banking, finance and corporate experience, reflects the strength of our business and our vision to be the market leader. People want to be part of the OnDeck growth story.”

[Related: Australia to outpace US in alternative lending]