Pepper Money has created a newly established head of growth position and handed it to mortgage industry veteran Matthew Catt (pictured), as the non-bank lender looks to sharpen its focus on expansion.
The role will see Catt work across products, technology, operations, and both broker and customer experience, as Pepper Money continues investing in initiatives aimed at aggregator partners, brokers and customers alike.
The appointment comes just days after Pepper Money posted record first-half results, with total originations up 40% year-on-year to $6.3 billion and mortgage originations climbing 63% to a record $4.5 billion.
Catt brings close to two decades of financial services experience, including more than 10 years at Commonwealth Bank before a move to Aussie Home Loans, where he held senior roles in white label distribution. During that time, he was involved in launching Aussie's white label partnership with Pepper Money. Most recently, he served as strategic partnership manager at First Title, focused on strategic partnerships and enterprise-wide growth initiatives.
Catt said Pepper Money's culture and market position were key drivers behind the move.
"What attracted me to the business was its growth mindset and commitment to putting brokers at the center of what it does," he said.
Catt added that his approach going forward would centre on broker and customer input: "My approach is to bring together Pepper Money's strategic priorities with what we're hearing directly from brokers, customers, and our sales teams."
Catt will report to Pepper Money's chief executive of mortgages and commercial lending, Barry Saoud, with the pair having previously worked together at Aussie. Saoud said the new role reflects the lender's broader ambitions.
"We have an ambitious growth agenda, and this role gives us dedicated capability to accelerate that work and continue finding new ways to support more brokers and their customers," Saoud said.
Saoud linked the appointment to the lender's recent "Let's Go" campaign, saying Catt's arrival builds on that momentum as Pepper Money looks to help brokers "say 'yes' to more customers."
As head of growth, Catt is expected to focus on identifying new opportunities, enhancing broker experiences, and expanding the range of solutions on offer to support a wider variety of customer needs.
That momentum stands out against a broader slowdown — while total market mortgage enquiries fell 20% in the three months to July, Pepper Money's own enquiries rose 42% over the same period.
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