Chris Forlano and Laura Hauser join Griffin as VP of Product and VP of Marketing, a perfect blend of digital banking experience and developer-first go to market strategy

Today, full-stack Banking as a Service (BaaS) provider Griffin announced the addition of two new members to its executive team: Chris Forlano as VP of Product and Laura Hauser as VP of Marketing. These appointments will support Griffin’s ambitious growth plans as it enters a critical phase in both the banking application process and the build of its technology platform.

“As an investor, I always look for companies that think big and have the stamina to disrupt entire industries, but building the right leadership is crucial to achieving this. I’m thrilled to have Chris and Laura join the executive team and bring their collective experience to foster growth at Griffin,” said Paul Forster, co-founder of Indeed and angel investor who led Griffin’s seed round.

Griffin is currently seeking regulatory approval to become the UK's first full-stack BaaS platform with its own bank license. The company’s core offering is a full-stack BaaS platform which will enable high-growth fintechs and global brands to quickly and seamlessly embed financial services into the user experience. Chris and Laura will further strengthen the company’s leadership team and bring Griffin closer to its goal of becoming the de facto operating system for embedded finance.

“Griffin’s full stack approach to BaaS brings best-in-class practices from the financial services world and an innovative approach to complex technology. Chris and Laura bring a wealth of experience from both industries that will help Griffin actualise its vision and support the many milestones ahead for the company,” Tom Mendoza, deal partner and investment advisor at EQT Ventures said. 

Chris brings 25+ years of experience leading transformation in the banking, payments, and fintech spaces. He’s worked for some of the world’s largest financial institutions, including HSBC, NatWest, and Visa, and in early-stage startups, and he has shaped, designed, and delivered state-of-the-art digital banking solutions for both. At Griffin, Chris will lead the strategy and development of the company's ambitious full-stack banking platform, in addition to launching standalone products to address specific market pain points.

"I'm obsessed with shifting away from traditional banking models and toward financial transactions being a more implicit and intrinsic part of the consumer experience,” Forlano said, “I’m delighted to join a company who shares my passion for technology and drive to build the underlying banking backbone powering the next wave of fintech innovation."

Laura has worked for some of the most innovative technology-driven companies in the B2B space, including Atlassian, Nextroll (formerly AdRoll), and UK-based IT solutions company, Adaptavist, where she ran global marketing. She helped Atlassian grow its marketplace revenue from $100M to $250M and increased its developer relations footprint globally. She specialises in turning disruptive complex technology into accessible solutions that drive new value and enhance the customer journey.

Laura will lead Griffin's go-to-market strategy, bolstering the company’s brand positioning to attract new clients to scale the business. 

“I have always been passionate about using disruptive technology to simplify the overly complex and to solve real business challenges. I'm thrilled to join a company that is reinventing the way we think about banking infrastructure and how it can enable a delightful user experience,” Hauser said.

David Jarvis, CEO of Griffin, added, “I am delighted to welcome Laura and Chris to the team. Laura’s expertise in developer-focused Software as a Service (SaaS) along with Chris' deep technical knowledge in the financial services space are both huge assets and I’m really excited about what they bring to the table.”