Agora Data hired Wendy Pratt less than a month ago to be its vice president of sales strategy.

Then on Monday, the fintech innovator of advanced capital solutions in subprime and non-prime consumer finance announced the appointment of Pratt to be head of its Financial Institutions Group (FIG).

The company said through a news release Pratt now will lead the strategic expansion of the FIG division, which supports independent finance companies with limited access to traditional capital markets.

“Agora launched its Financial Institutions Group in 2020 with the acquisition of over $100 million in seasoned loans from a top-tier finance company through three transactions. Since then, the group has surpassed $400 million in purchases and has over $250 million in its current pipeline,” Agora chief sales officer Chris Barry said in the news release.

“Wendy’s leadership and industry experience will significantly accelerate the growth of FIG, complementing our core business of helping dealerships establish and grow captive finance companies,” Barry continued.

Pratt joins Agora Data after most recently serving as vice president of direct lending at Flagship Credit Acceptance. She also spent 15 years in three different roles, including vice president of strategic alliances, with GWC Warranty.

Pratt’s appointment comes as Agora is accelerating its expansion.

The company recently entered the 144A securitization market with its inaugural transaction in May. In addition, over the past quarter, Agora completed two structured whole-loan transactions under its innovative “ATALT” program to further complement and diversify the company’s capital strategy.

Alongside its growing warehouse capacity, Agora said it now has over $700 million in loan UPB capacity to fuel its 2026 growth objectives.

In anticipation of increased demand, Agora has also expanded its workforce, onboarding more than 30 new full-time employees in July and August alone.

“Agora’s FIG channel levels the playing field for independent finance companies, enabling them to compete with larger institutions by leveraging our capital, technology, and deep market expertise,” Agora Data chief financial officer Jody Day said.

Agora noted its continued growth is powered by its proprietary artificial intelligence and machine learning technology, a vast and unique data set, and a fundamental commitment to “alignment of interest” with loan originators. The company said these advantages have contributed to year-over-year reductions in both delinquencies and charge-offs.

“I’m highly optimistic about the future of the auto finance landscape,” Agora Data CEO Steve Burke said. “As interest rates decline, used vehicle prices stabilize, inflation eases, and changes in taxation on tips and overtime take effect, consumers will likely have more disposable income — fueling stronger performance across our industry.”

Burke also discussed his optimism during an episode of the Auto Remarketing Podcast recorded during the annual convention hosted by the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association. The conversation can be heard in the window below.