PayPlan Signals Growth Intentions with Senior Board and Executive Hires

PayPlan has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of a new Chairman and three senior industry executives, signalling bold growth ambitions to transform the way customers and partners experience debt advice. 

Founded in 1992 and led by Chief Executive Rachel Duffey, PayPlan is one of the UK’s leading providers of free-to-consumer debt advice and tailored payment plan solutions. Each year, the organisation helps hundreds of thousands of people to improve their financial wellbeing with confidential, FCA-regulated advice. 

PayPlan has received strategic investment from Palladian Investment Partners, which will be used to accelerate the rollout of enhanced digital debt advice services, delivering faster, more accessible support for consumers and added value for lending partners. 

To drive this next phase of growth, PayPlan has bolstered its senior team and appointed seasoned financial services leader Mark Arnold, formerly Barclays UK’s Head of Savings and Mortgages, as its new Chairman. He is joined by three senior executives: 

• Jaco Wilsenach, Chief Operating Officer (ex-Close Brothers, Domestic & General, Teleperformance) 
• Tim Richardson, Chief Technology Officer (previously with ClearScore, Funding Circle, Unibuddy) 
• Paul Giggins, Operational Strategy Director (previously with Cabot Financial)

Mark Arnold, Chairman at PayPlan said: “I’m delighted to be joining PayPlan as Chairman and look forward to working with the team through this exciting period of digital transformation. We are committed to meeting the evolving needs of our customers, and we believe that investment in agentic AI, combined with the expertise of our highly skilled advisors, will be truly transformational for the service we provide.”  

Since PayPlan was established, it has helped millions of people to become debt free. This year PayPlan expects to help a quarter of a million people with debt advice, up 25% year on year. Of those customers, 68% engage with PayPlan digitally, with a third choosing live chat and two thirds using WhatsApp. 

Around 60% of PayPlan’s customers disclose a health vulnerability and on average have a cost to income ratio of 91%, signalling limited ability to manage unexpected costs.

Rachel Duffey, CEO at PayPlan, said: “Our core mission at PayPlan is to help people take control of their finances, and as demand has increased, that aim remains the same.  

“Our plan this year is to accelerate the development of our digital services, making it even easier for individuals to access the free advice and solutions they need. We understand that being in debt is hugely stressful and seeking advice takes courage – it is paramount that when someone reaches out to us, we meet them with the right level of service, the right channel and the right message.  

“This year, we will be launching a voice version of our very successful chatbot, SAM, as well as investing in our app, to allow service users to complete their full journey digitally, should they wish. Everyone’s debt journey will be different, and we are committed to ensuring that our digital channels complement our human-led approach. 

“As we invest in preparing PayPlan for the future, I am delighted this experienced group of senior executives are bringing their expertise to the table, alongside our new chairman, who provides unrivalled insight into the financial services landscape.”