Responsible for developing pricing and valuation models for complex derivatives during his 10-year stint in the Strategic Analytics group at Deutsche Bank, Will is relishing the opportunity to help drive forward fintech start-up HOOCHT., which claimed its place among the major robo-advice players from its launch just over a year ago.

And Will has very much hit the ground running.

“I’m used to working on complex trading analytics and have had asuccessful first decade of my career so far, but working for a huge organisation like an incumbent bank means you only really get to work on small links in a much bigger chain and I was ready for a new challenge,” said Cambridge computer science graduate Will.

“The opportunity to use my skills and experience to really help shape the future evolution of a fast-paced start up like HOOCHT. was too good to miss.”

“I’m hoping I can use my blend of strong maths, programming skills, and market knowledge, to develop exciting new innovations that will help HOOCHT. achieve its goal of being the number one choice for online mortgage advice.”

Will’s first focus at HOOCHT. will be on further optimising and streamlining its online mortgage application process, launched as the fastest available, to further improve its customer experience and beat its own 15-minute mortgage record.

“Our goal has always been to make the mortgage application process as quick and easy as possible and enable our advisors to spend less time on paperwork and more focusing on customers and their needs, and I’ll be looking at using cutting edge techniques to make our processes even slicker,” added Will.

“I’ll also be looking at ways of optimising our marketing strategy, in order to get this alternative means of applying for a mortgage in front of more people. It’s all about developing the most efficient system possible, and making that available to the maximum number of people.

“It’s about education and disruption for us - we want to encourage people to use us and then make sure they get the best experience available in the market.”

HOOCHT. Founder and Managing Director Rich Wynn explained that Will’s appointment marks another pivotal moment for the company, which moved from Hull to London’s exciting new Here East tech hub at the end of 2018 in order to rub shoulders with the country’s leading tech innovators.

“In a few years’ time, I think everyone will want to complete their mortgage application online, certainly those people who are in their 20s and 30s now won’t think twice about it. I want HOOCHT to be at the very forefront of that, as people’s first choice,” said Rich.

“From launch, we’ve set out to shake up the mortgage advice market by aiming to give consumers an experience which is as quick and seamless as other aspects of their lives and very different from the traditional, clunky and time consuming experience many dread putting themselves through.

“We’ve had a phenomenal first year, serving an impressive number of customers with a relatively small team, and establishing ourselves as a major player in artificial intelligence-powered mortgage broking.

“We’re determined to remain at the forefront of developments in this space by making our technology the best it can possibly be, and Will - with his top flight experience at one of the world’s biggest banks - is the person to help us achieve that.

“So, watch this space for details of exciting new developments in the whole HOOCHT. experience!”

Rich added that HOOCHT. plans to make 2019 a ‘really big year’, expanding its total team from 13 to 25 during the course of 2019.

It has also established unique partnerships with digital insurtech disruptor Homelyfe and conveyancing management platform When You Move, as part of its background plan to develop its site into a user-friendly, one-stop platform for all things home-buying. To this end, the also have some other exciting new potential partnerships in the pipeline. This is all central to the HOOCHT. ethos of offering customers access to some of the most complex products of their financial lives, as quickly and simply as possible. Homelyfe, for example, offers a four-minute insurance purchasing option via the HOOCHT. website.