This year's New Year honours list saw "alternative financiers” nominated for gongs rather than traditional bankers. Among them was Giles Andrews, co-founder of Zopa, which has so far overseen £about £70 million worth of lending to individuals since it was founded ten years ago, and is “a core part of the revolution transforming the way we borrow.” According to Andrews, ‘It’s a very exciting start to the New Year (the OBE)…There’s been quite a lot in the news about the fact no banker won an award in the New Year honours list. It’s because banks don’t treat customers very well. I think anyone who knew anything about the industry knew that was true even before the crisis.’ The OBE for Andrews, and a CBE for Samir Desai of Funding Circle, are being seen as “a clear sign that the highest authorities are willing to give the nascent sector their blessing.”
This year's New Year honours list saw "alternative financiers” nominated for gongs rather than traditional bankers. Among them was Giles Andrews, co-founder of Zopa, which has so far overseen £1.2bn worth of lending to individuals since it was founded ten years ago, and is “a core part of the revolution transforming the way we borrow.” According to Andrews, ‘It’s a very exciting start to the New Year (the OBE)…There’s been quite a lot in the news about the fact no banker won an award in the New Year honours list. It’s because banks don’t treat customers very well. I think anyone who knew anything about the industry knew that was true even before the crisis.’ The OBE for Andrews, and a CBE for Samir Desai of Funding Circle, are being seen as “a clear sign that the highest authorities are willing to give the nascent sector their blessing.”