Redwood Bank said the appointment marked a “pivotal moment” in its technology journey, as part of a strategy to harness data, enhance customer and colleague experience and strengthen its digital and cybersecurity position.
Goodyear joins from JBR Capital, where he worked for over two years as its CTO. There, he led technology initiatives and helped prepare the business for its sale.
At Redwood Bank, he will be responsible for transformation, growth and developing a more agile and automated operating model.
Goodyear said: “Joining Redwood is both a professional challenge and a personal opportunity. The culture here is genuinely collaborative and driven, and that’s what drew me in.
“My aim is to help Redwood enhance what it already does so well – particularly its customer-centric, manual underwriting approach – while using technology to remove friction, streamline processes and unlock valuable insights through data.”
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He said his role would align with the bank’s values, which view technology as a means of supporting human interaction and value, not replacing it.
Goodyear added: “Technology should enable people to focus on where they can add the most value.
“By eliminating low-value manual tasks and improving access to high-quality data, we can empower our teams to make even better decisions – and serve our customers even more effectively.”
Goodyear will also lead a review of the bank’s data strategy, internal IT capabilities, cybersecurity infrastructure and use of artificial intelligence (AI).
Gary Wilkinson, CEO and co-founder of Redwood Bank, said: “Simon brings a rare blend of technical expertise, strategic thinking and a people-first mindset. As Redwood continues to grow, it’s critical we have the right leadership in place to modernise our infrastructure while staying true to our identity.
“I’m delighted to welcome him to the team.”
Earlier this month, the firm confirmed that its new lending nearly doubled year-on-year in 2024.
