CFO Q&A > David Wright, CFO MONEYME

CFO Magazine A/NZ Editor Richard McBride had the opportunity to sit down with David Wright, a highly experienced global finance leader with over 20 years’ experience, including Finance Director and CFO roles at Westpac, Macquarie, and Angle Auto Finance.

Eighteen months ago, David was appointed CFO at MONEYME – a digital lender and ASX-listed non-bank challenger transforming how Australians access credit through seamless, technology-driven products.

In this exclusive interview, David discusses the importance of transformational leadership, building a high-performing finance team, balancing fintech speed with compliance, and the evolving expectations CEOs have of their CFOs. David also provides insight into MONEYME’s next phase of growth, the rise of AI in finance, and strategies for positioning in a cashless, digital-first economy.

RM – David, thank you for joining us today – You have a wealth of experience in CFO and Snr finance leadership roles at organisations such as Westpac, Macquarie, and Angle Auto Finance as well as working across agriculture and travel – What attracted you to the CFO role at MoneyMe, a high-growth, digital-first, ASX-listed non-bank consumer lender?

DW – “What drew me to MONEYME was the growth potential of the business, the people and the opportunity to make a difference. With my background working in large organisations as well as playing key roles in restructuring and standing up new businesses, I felt I could bring experience that would have an immediate and meaningful impact on the business. 
 
“In bigger institutions, it’s easy to feel like a cog in the wheel. At MONEYME, I saw the chance to help shape the strategy and direction of the business, which was particularly exciting.

“I could see opportunities to strengthen decision support, improve efficiency, and take a more effective approach to risk-based pricing. That’s a powerful lever in consumer finance. Getting pricing, product offering and mix right makes a big difference in growing the right volume.” 

RM – You’ve been CFO at MoneyMe for about 18 months now. What were some of your first priorities when you came in – the early wins you wanted to deliver quickly as an incoming CFO and how did you look to establish your finance team and function?

DW – “My focus from early on was to uplift and empower the team, and to shift from a purely financial control and FP&A function with limited focus on growth to a high-performing, process-driven team that influences strategic decision-making, while making the financial and risk framework more robust and efficient.  
 
“We launched a project, which tapped into the wealth of rich data we had from our front-end system to build new and more informative reporting, processes and drive efficiencies. That allowed the team to move from financial control to FP&A; from reporting the past to actively influencing the future. It’s an ongoing journey, but that shift has been critical.

“One of the quick wins was making better use of our tech stack. MONEYME’s proprietary technology platform is driving our operations and the customer experience through high automation and advanced data analytics. I saw the opportunity to extend those capabilities for the finance function, tapping into verified data and analytics to support pricing decisions, funding optimisation, and capital efficiency.  
 
“I’ve been able to draw on best practices from my previous roles and apply that to the business. This included increasing cross-functional collaboration, ensuring that the finance team worked as an integrated function with deep understanding of day-to-day operations, from credit underwriting to product development. In essence, this allows us to drive the right type of growth very efficiently and with strong governance.”

RM – Fintechs move at a very different pace compared to traditional finance. How do you balance that speed with the discipline of risk and compliance?

DW – “The key is building risk and compliance structures that let you move fast without losing discipline. We operate within a very strict corporate governance framework, but because we’re closer to the operations and a leaner team, we can make decisions quickly and execute without unnecessary hoops. 

“Large banks are often slowed down by multiple layers of bureaucracy and process. While those controls may be necessary in a complex banking environment, they don’t always translate into stronger compliance outcomes and they don’t naturally apply in the fintech space, where leaner operating models achieve the same compliance standards without unnecessary friction.” 

RM – At MoneyMe, where technology is central, how does the CFO role go beyond finance into shaping strategy and customer experience?

DW – “I’m heavily involved in product, technology, and sales and marketing decisions. It’s one of the reasons I wanted to join MONEYME. I’m driven by the success of the organisation. And while that success ultimately comes down to the numbers, it’s the operations and customer experience that drive those numbers.  

“I came from industries like travel and agriculture where you could really get into the business. In banking, you’re often siloed. At MONEYME, I get to be close to all parts of the strategy.”

RM – Clayton Howes is not just CEO but also co-founder. How do the two of you work together day to day — and more broadly, what are CEOs are looking for from their CFOs right now?

DW – “Working with a CEO who’s also the founder is a unique dynamic. There’s a lot of passion and a deep sense of ownership in the business. It’s not just about numbers, it’s about the people and the legacy of what’s being built. That brings a different level of energy.

“Our working relationship is very close. We’re in constant communication and hands-on across products, technology, sales, and marketing. Clayton knows the business inside out, and my role is to bring that financial discipline and strategic decision support. 

“More broadly, CEOs today want CFOs who can help shape the decisions that drive success, not just report on performance.”

Technology & Industry Change

RM – MoneyMe has invested heavily developing ‘Horizon’. For those less familiar, can you explain what Horizon is, why it’s so central to the business, and how it’s changing the customer experience?

DW – “Horizon is our proprietary technology platform. It runs everything from credit decisioning and underwriting, to our product experiences and customer communications across the lifecycle. Because it’s built in-house, we’re not limited by off-the-shelf systems. We can adapt it quickly, launch new products faster, and integrate with partners seamlessly.

“For customers, that means loan approvals and settlements in minutes instead of days. You could be at a car dealership, get a car loan with MONEYME on the spot, and drive away within the hour. It also means you can self-serve your loan and make extra repayments on our app. That’s the kind of experience Horizon makes possible.”

RM – Alongside Horizon sits AIDEN, your AI decision engine. How would you describe AIDEN’s role in how MoneyMe approves and settles loans – and how is this such a game changer?

DW – “AIDEN is our in-house built AI. It learns from years of data to support our operations, from smarter credit decisioning and underwriting to AI-assisted customer communications. More recently we’ve added generative AI and agentic AI capabilities, which are lifting both efficiency and customer satisfaction.

“The impact is felt on both sides. For customers, it creates a faster and more seamless experience. For us, it drives operational efficiency, improved risk-based pricing, and stronger credit performance. AIDEN also makes our team more effective by automating repetitive tasks, freeing people up to focus on higher-value analysis and decision support.
 
“Ultimately, it delivers better customer outcomes and drives operational performance at the same time.”

RM – Consumer expectations and experiences have shifted dramatically in recent years with advances in mobile technologies. What changes are you seeing across the industry, and how is MoneyMe keeping ahead?

DW – “Today’s consumers expect product experiences to make their lives easier. They want speed, simplicity, and convenience. While financial services are still catching up to other sectors, increased competition and new innovation from fintechs and non-banks have led to a significant improvement in customer experience across the board.

“Our technology-led business model has allowed us to stay ahead of this shift. Having proprietary technology is a key advantage as it gives us the agility to roll-out new innovations at speed, without being restricted by off-the-shelf systems. Our NPS and review scores, both of which are significantly above the major banks, show customers can tell the difference.”

RM – The lending industry itself is evolving quickly. How do you see customer experience and technology reshaping the market over the next few years?

DW – “Looking forward, the ability to integrate and access more sources of both internal and external data, combined with an increased ability to analyse and action that data through AI, will transform the customer experience. This will drive an even faster, more seamless process, improved support, and ultimately better customer outcomes.

“Meanwhile, payments will keep shifting towards digital wallets, and that’s a future we’re already positioning ourselves to be part of.”

Growth & Future of Finance

RM – What are the next biggest growth opportunities or innovations for MoneyMe?

DW – “The most immediate growth opportunity is the launch of our new credit card. That’s a product with a mass-market appeal and attractive margins, and we see real scale potential there. 

“We’re also building towards direct-to-consumer distribution of our secured car loan product, Autopay, which will allow us to tap into a significant part of the market.

“Beyond that, we’re focused on broadening our product set to become a more rounded financier. The more relevant we are across different consumer needs, the more we can grow our market share and reap the scale benefits.”

RM – Looking ahead five years, how do you see the CFO role itself evolving and what should CFOs be doing to help future proof their role in the age of AI and automation?

DW – The CFO role has been evolving for some time, and the pace has accelerated with automation and AI. A lot of the traditional manual work, including reporting, reconciliations and controls, is being automated and streamlined, which shifts the role towards more strategic, data-driven decision support.

“At MONEYME, we’re already ahead of that curve. In finance, we are recruiting data scientists and analysts as well as candidates with audit or Big Four experience. The focus is on building a team that can provide insights and shape decisions, not just report on them.”

“Future-proofing is about leveraging technology-driven efficiencies, with consideration of risk, governance and financial control frameworks, and positioning the finance function as a key partner in developing and driving business outcomes.”

RM – Australia is tipped to be one of the first cashless economies, with fewer bank branches and ATMs each year. What does that future look like to you, and how does a business like MoneyMe position itself for that shift?

DW – “The move towards a cashless economy plays to our strengths as a digital lender. 

“As banks continue to shut down branches, brokers have become an important channel in guiding consumers through their financing needs, and I see that role continuing. At the same time, we’re supporting a growing proportion of consumers who want to self-serve, particularly younger generations. 

“Just like the travel industry moved from travel agents to online booking systems, lending is moving towards seamless self-serve customer journeys. There’s already a big direct-to-consumer market, and we’re capturing more of it by delivering customer experiences fit for modern consumers.”

RM – CFO Magazine is exploring the horizons for CFOs between now and 2030. From your perspective, what are the biggest short-term opportunities for MoneyMe, and what are the longer-term ambitions you’re most excited about?

DW – “In the short term, our focus is on scaling our Autopay product and launching the new credit card. Strategic partnerships and launching a direct-to-consumer offering for Autopay are also big priorities.

“Looking longer term, it’s about broadening our product suite and growing our relevance with consumers. We want to establish MONEYME as a multi-product digital lender that’s a genuine alternative to the banks.”

RM – David, thank you for your time and valuable insights today. We wish you and the team at MONEYME continued success and look forward to following the company’s ongoing growth and achievements.

To learn more about MONEYME visit: www.Moneyme.com.au