ATLANTA–(BUSINESS WIRE)–VIVA Finance, an Atlanta-based fintech platform that provides innovative financial solutions for consumers, has appointed industry veteran John Fasano as CFO.

Fasano brings over 20 years of senior-level management experience, with expertise in developing and executing business strategies for fintech and SaaS companies that focus on payments and banking software. He is also experienced in M&A and M&A-related integrations. Fasano most recently served as CEO of VoApps, a tech company based in Atlanta that provides voicemail solutions for businesses. He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from California Lutheran University.

“John is a strategic leader with a proven ability to unify teams toward achieving a common goal,” VIVA Finance Co-Founder and CEO Jack Markwalter said. “We are confident that John’s extensive experience in the fintech and mobile banking space will enable VIVA to fulfill its mission of equipping consumers with the tools to achieve financial freedom.”

“I am honored to be named CFO and join VIVA as it tackles challenges in the financial system that prevent many people from accessing fairly-priced financial products and services,” Fasano said. “I admire VIVA’s unique approach toward providing consumers with equitable credit solutions and cannot wait to seek out additional ways for the company to flourish.”

Fasano’s hire follows VIVA’s strong momentum in recent months. By the end of 2020, VIVA tallied nearly 1,000 loans given in its first year of lending. The company also boosted its number of loans given out each month by 6.5x since July 2020, representing a nearly 37% month-over-month growth rate.

While expanding access to credit, VIVA’s alternative underwriting model has also performed well, with a net cumulative annual loss rate of less than 1.3% as of December 2020.

About VIVA Finance

VIVA Finance powers a mobile-first lending platform that offers loans underwritten primarily based on employment information rather than credit history. VIVA’s mission is to build an inclusive financial system by expanding access to affordable credit through its alternative underwriting model. Launched in early 2019, hundreds of individuals have utilized VIVA’s loans to refinance expensive debt and cover a variety of financial needs. Learn more at www.viva-finance.com.