Lendela, a prominent loan-matching platform in the Asia-Pacific region, has announced a leadership transition, with former chief marketing officer Axel Frändén (pictured) stepping into the role of deputy CEO. In his new position, Frändén will continue to oversee the company’s marketing while expanding his responsibilities to include long-term strategy and operational management across key markets in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Australia.
Frändén brings over a decade of international experience in marketing, branding, and business growth to his new role. He will work closely with CEO Nima Karimi and senior leaders to drive operational improvements and explore growth opportunities. According to a news release, Frändén’s promotion marks a significant step in aligning the company’s marketing expertise with its broader organizational goals.
“I am incredibly excited about this new chapter for both Axel and the company,” said Karimi. “Axel has been an integral part of Lendelaʼs success over the last five years, and his leadership on marketing, brand, and growth has been instrumental in positioning us as a leader in APACʼs lendtech space. His new role will allow us to harness this very strategic vision and expertise more broadly across the business as we continue to scale in APAC.”
The company’s leadership sees this transition as essential to supporting its growth as the appointment comes at a time when Lendela is focusing on further scaling its business and enhancing operational efficiency, noted the news release.
Lendela has served nearly 400,000 and has had more than 100 lending partners over the years. In addition, it increased its workforce by over 20% in 2024, with new hires in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Australia.
In Singapore, Lendela has grown its partner network to include nearly 60 lenders. In Hong Kong, Lendela became the first global fintech to join the portfolio of Wings Capital Ventures, a venture capital firm focused on fintech and SaaS startups. In Australia, the company has expanded its lender panel significantly and integrated new digital identity solutions to improve borrower data security.
“Iʼm excited to take on this new responsibility while continuing to oversee the growth strategy that has been a key part of Lendelaʼs success,” said Frändén. “I look forward to working closely with every function to identify new opportunities as part of our ambitious growth plan while continuing to deliver value to our customers and partners.”
Founded in 2018, Lendela focuses on matching borrowers with tailored loan offers through a single application process. The company’s growth has been supported by investors such as Singlife co-founder Walter de Oude and Cocoon Capital, with Lendela raising US$5 million in Series A funding in 2023.
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