Advisors and Partners
Nigel Morris
Co-founder Capital One
Nigel Morris has served as our advisor since 2005. Mr. Morris is the managing partner of QED Investors, an investment firm he founded in 2008. Mr. Morris was also the co-founder of Capital One Financial Services, where he served as president and chief operating officer and vice chairman from 1994 until his retirement in 2004. Mr. Morris has served on the board of directors of Prosper Marketplace, Inc. since June 2014, and before that from December 2009 to January 2013. Mr. Morris has a BSC in Psychology from East London University in London, England and an MBA with distinction from London Business School, where he is also a fellow. We believe that Mr. Morris’s financial and business expertise, including his diversified background of managing and directing public companies, his experience with financial services firms, as well as his general operational and management experience, provide us with valuable experience and insight.
Phillip Riese
Former President, American Express
Phillip Riese has served as our advisor since 2005. Mr. Riese is president of Riese & Others, a private investment vehicle that invests alongside a variety of venture capital and private equity firms with a focus on global disruptive financial services. Prior to forming Riese & Others, Mr. Riese spent 18 years at American Express, ultimately serving as the president of the consumer card group and chairman of American Express Centurion Bank. Before American Express, Mr. Riese was a division executive at Chase Bank and a partner at M.C. Geffen, a consulting firm in South Africa. Mr. Riese serves as a board member for a number of private companies globally including Zopa Limited, which was the first marketplace lender in the world. He was chairman of Zopa for 10 years. Mr. Riese holds a bachelor’s degree in Commerce from Leeds University in England, an MBA from the University of Cape Town in South Africa and a Master of Science degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Joe Zhang
Chairman, China Smartpay
Joe Zhang has served as an independent non-executive director on our board since January 2016, Prior to that, he served as our advisor since August 2013. Mr. Zhang is currently the chairman of China Smartpay, a company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Mr. Zhang is also the author of Inside China’s Shadow Banking, which was published in 2013. Prior to working at China Smartpay, from 2006 to 2008, Mr. Zhang served as the chief operating officer of Shenzhen Investment Limited. Mr. Zhang also worked for various investment banks for 15 years, including 11 years with UBS. Mr. Zhang also has experience as a manager at the PBOC. Mr. Zhang is on the board of directors of nine other companies, including Fosun International Limited, Boer Power Holdings Ltd, Luye Pharma Group Ltd., Wanda Hotel Development Co. Ltd., Logan Property Holdings Co. Ltd., Huirong Financial Holdings Ltd., Zhong An Real Estate Limited, Yancoal Australia Ltd. and Sinopec Oilfield Service Corporation. Mr. Zhang received a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Hubei Institute of Economics and Finance, a master’s degree in Economics from the PBOC Finance Institute and a master’s degree in Economics from the Australian National University.