Provider of flexible payment solutions in the automotive sector, Payment Assist, has expanded its leadership team with two new appointments.
With decades of experience in consumer lending, automotive finance, and digital payments, Richard Sharp, as Chief Operating Officer, and Chris Masters, as Chief Payments Officer, are implementing a future-forward strategy to enhance Payment Assist’s offerings further.
Richard brings a wealth of experience to Payment Assist, having spent 25 years in consumer lending. His career includes working within the motor finance, unsecured and secured lending markets in various executive positions for large-scale PLCs and challenger banks.
Richard’s expertise in regulated financial services, risk management, customer experience, and operational efficiency makes him a great asset in the growth strategy of Payment Assist.
As Chief Operating Officer, Richard is leading the company’s transformation efforts, focusing on digitalisation, enhancing the customer journey, and making sure operations are as resilient as possible. He is also overseeing Payment Assist’s preparation for full FCA regulation, ensuring compliance without compromising efficiency.
Richard said: “I am absolutely delighted to be joining Payment Assist at such an exciting time for the business. We have ambitious growth plans, and I’m excited to bring my experience in transformation, change, and improving our customer experience, as well as implement risk management measures so that we remain compliant and efficient as we grow.”
Chris has spent 18 years in the automotive sector and has worked with some of the UK’s biggest retailers and partners.
He initially worked for the digital media business Motors.co.uk, building relationships across the industry before moving to iVendi to lead business development. During this time, Chris gained valuable insight into customer behaviour and purchasing trends, particularly as the business shifted towards online transactions.
His move into payments came in 2018 when he began working with online payment solutions, helping automotive businesses transition to e-commerce. Now, as Chief Payments Officer at Payment Assist, he leads on commercial strategy, marketing, and product innovation.
Chris is focused on optimising Payment Assist’s payment processes and developing a next-generation platform that makes transactions seamless for automotive retailers and garages alike.
Chris added: “We have a fantastic foundation from our consumer finance products, but it’s our vision to develop and deliver a best-in-class payment platform for our network. The motor industry is an amazing sector to work in, with lots of forward-thinking businesses; we want to support them with a solution that will be at the forefront of technology.
“We’ve structured our teams to create dedicated support for customers and partners, which ensures that payment processing is easy and accessible for businesses.”
