loanDepot Inc. has announced the return of long-time executive Rick Calle as chief strategy officer, tasked with overseeing strategy, mergers and acquisitions, and revenue operations.
As head of revenue operations, Calle will be responsible for integrating the teams, tools, and systems that drive the company’s consumer direct lending business, including sales operations, strategy, and analytics. Partnering with teams across technology, customer contact, marketing, and sales, Calle will lead the adoption of AI and other contemporary technologies on the horizon.
“Consumer Direct Lending is a key strategic advantage for loanDepot — one of the few tech-powered, at-scale models of its kind with both best-in-class lead generation capabilities and top-tier customer recapture rates from our large servicing portfolio,” said loanDepot Founder and CEO Anthony Hsieh. “Rick’s deep understanding of our business, along with his sharp analytical skills and strategic mindset, will help us get back to competing at the highest levels.”
From 2013–2022, Calle held various roles at loanDepot, serving as a strategic advisor to Hsieh and the executive team. During that time, his responsibilities included corporate strategy, mergers and acquisitions, and enterprise business development. In addition, he led the strategy and sales finance teams through a data strategy transformation, focused on enabling data-driven decision-making through automation. He was heavily involved in the company’s IPO, as well as the acquisitions of imortgage and Mortgage Master.
Calle helped launch a consumer lending program, and led the company’s expansion into settlement services through multiple acquisitions. Prior to joining loanDepot, he served as an investment professional at Parthenon Capital Partners, and worked in the mergers and acquisitions group at Barclays and Lehman Brothers.
“The opportunity ahead for loanDepot’s Consumer Direct Lending business is tremendous,” added Calle. “The infrastructure, brand, and data assets are primed for the coming wave of innovation. To be able to work with such a talented team and execute at the direction of one of the pioneers of Direct Lending, Anthony Hsieh, is very exciting and I am grateful for the opportunity.”
