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James Meekings is the Chief Platform Officer at Entrepreneur First and an active angel investor based in London. He previously co-founded Funding Circle in 2010 alongside Samir Desai, serving in executive roles including UK Managing Director, Chief Commercial Officer, and Chief Marketing Officer. During his tenure, he scaled the UK division from 200 to 700 employees and helped the platform facilitate over £1.4 billion in small business loans before its 2018 initial public offering on the London Stock Exchange. Before his entrepreneurial career, Meekings worked as a management consultant at OC&C Strategy Consultants and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Management from Oxford University. He now focuses on advising and investing in early-stage fintech, healthtech, and travel startups, holding additional roles as a Non-Executive Director at Thirdfort and a Venture Partner at Veega.
James Meekings is a highly respected figure in the financial technology (fintech) sector, best known as a co-founder and CEO of Funding Circle. Established in 2010, Funding Circle has grown under his leadership to become one of the world's leading online lending platforms, specifically designed to help small businesses access vital financing.
At Funding Circle, James Meekings plays a pivotal role in shaping the company's strategic direction, fostering innovation, and driving its mission to build a better financial world for small businesses. His work involves overseeing the platform's expansion, ensuring robust technological development, and maintaining strong relationships with investors and borrowers alike. The platform connects small businesses seeking loans with a diverse range of investors, including individuals, institutions, and government entities, thereby democratizing access to capital and offering an alternative to traditional bank lending.
Meekings' career background provided a strong foundation for his entrepreneurial venture. Prior to co-founding Funding Circle, he gained valuable experience within the traditional banking sector, holding positions at major financial institutions such as RBS and Barclays. This experience gave him firsthand insight into the challenges small businesses faced when seeking finance through conventional channels, which ultimately fueled his desire to create a more efficient and accessible solution.
His investment focus, through Funding Circle, is squarely on the small business economy. He is deeply committed to leveraging technology to streamline the lending process, reduce costs, and provide faster, more flexible funding options for entrepreneurs. This focus extends to various sectors within the small business landscape, helping companies across diverse industries grow, create jobs, and contribute to economic prosperity. While Funding Circle itself is his primary venture, his influence and expertise are deeply embedded in the broader alternative finance and fintech ecosystems.
Under Meekings' guidance, Funding Circle has facilitated billions of pounds in loans to tens of thousands of small businesses across multiple countries, demonstrating a significant impact on global economies. His leadership has been instrumental in navigating regulatory landscapes, attracting substantial investment, and building a trusted brand in the competitive fintech space. James Meekings continues to be a driving force behind the evolution of small business finance, advocating for innovative solutions that empower entrepreneurs worldwide.
James Meekings is a prominent fintech entrepreneur, best known as a co-founder and CEO of Funding Circle, a leading online lending platform for small businesses.
Through his work at Funding Circle, James Meekings is primarily focused on facilitating investment into small businesses by connecting them with a diverse range of lenders. His professional focus is on the fintech sector, specifically alternative finance and small business lending solutions.
James Meekings works at Funding Circle, the global online lending platform he co-founded. He serves as the CEO of the organization.
