Consumer lending, meaning loans made directly to individual borrowers rather than to businesses, has a new finance chief at Oportun. The San Mateo company (Nasdaq: OPRT) disclosed the hire in an 8-K filing, a regulatory document public companies submit when a significant event occurs, including a change in executive leadership. Bill Franklin joined as Chief Financial Officer on September 8, 2026.
Franklin will lead Oportun's finance organization and work alongside the executive team on financial strategy, operating discipline, and long-term value creation. Oportun describes itself as a mission-driven lender that offers members borrowing, savings, and budgeting tools, with a focus on customers the company says are underserved by traditional financial products.
Franklin comes from Discover Financial Services, where he served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Consumer Banking, overseeing financial planning and analysis for Discover's consumer lending and deposit businesses. Personal loans were part of that scope. He also held roles as Assistant Treasurer and Head of Investor Relations at Discover. In total he brings more than 20 years of experience across financial planning, capital markets, investor relations, and corporate development.
Doug Bland, Oportun's Chief Executive Officer, called Franklin a "thoughtful, disciplined operator" in a prepared statement. Bland said Franklin's combination of strategic finance experience and consumer lending background, paired with a strong command of public markets, made him a good fit. Bland framed the hire around the company's aim of building a durable, profitable growth engine.
Franklin, in the same release, said Oportun's platform and the chance to help create sustainable value were what drew him to the role. He said he looks forward to working with Bland and the team to help advance the company's mission.
Since its founding, Oportun says it has extended more than $22.7 billion in credit, saved members more than $2.5 billion in interest and fees, and helped members set aside an average of more than $1,800 a year.