Hargreaves Lansdown Strengthens Executive Leadership for Technology Agenda

Hargreaves Lansdown (HL) announced on July 6 that it has hired two senior executives from asset manager Vanguard to fill key roles on its leadership team. Charles Thompson will become chief technology officer, and Michael Finnegan will serve as chief transformation officer.

Both appointments take effect in September, subject to regulatory approval, and both executives will be based at HL’s headquarters in Bristol. The hires follow what outgoing CEO and non-executive deputy chair Richard Flint described as “a rigorous external search” to strengthen the executive team.

Thompson previously served as principal and divisional CIO for advice and wealth management at Vanguard, having led technology across APAC, Europe and the Americas. Prior to that he held senior technology leadership roles at National Australia Bank. Finnegan was most recently head of wealth planning and partnerships at Vanguard, and earlier held roles as head of international strategy, chief of staff for Vanguard’s International business, and CFO for the Americas.

The new hires will replace current executives Richard Hebdon (chief digital and technology officer) and Darren Worth (chief strategy and transformation officer), who are leaving HL later this year. Both will remain through a transition period.

Leadership transition and strategic direction

Flint noted that HL aims to “combine the best” of its market position with lessons from the US market, where technology, product innovation and customer engagement have helped expand retail investing. He said Thompson and Finnegan “will play critical roles in that next phase.”

Thompson said he was “incredibly excited” to join HL and looked forward to leading the build of new technology capability. Finnegan commented that HL has a “major opportunity” to help people shift from saving to investing and that he was eager to deliver the changes needed to support that ambition.