Rate Bolsters Digital Efforts with New Chief Product and Technology Officer
Veteran Silicon Valley technologist Dr. Ramesh Sarukkai to drive development of new FinTech products and tools
CHICAGO (November 19, 2021) — Guaranteed Rate, a leader in digital financial services, is pleased to welcome Dr. Ramesh Sarukkai as the company’s new Chief Product and Technology Officer. The veteran Silicon Valley technologist will be responsible for expanding Rate’s digital product portfolio into new financial services, as well as enhancing its current mortgage products and features.
“Ramesh’s decades of experience driving growth and innovation at some of the biggest digital powerhouses makes him the perfect choice to lead Rate’s technology efforts,” said Victor Ciardelli, CEO of Rate. “I’m totally confident that he will add incredible value to our mortgage business and help us continue to expand into the FinTech space.”
Prior to joining Rate, Dr. Sarukkai was head of engineering and product for Braintree/PayPal, head of payments at Facebook and led the YouTube monetization teams at Google. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Rochester, is the author of the book Foundations of Web Technology and holds more than 50 patents (issued/pending).
“I’m thrilled to join Rate, which has successfully delivered modern digital solutions to reduce friction from critical financial services such as mortgage while maintaining a close connection with customers,” said Dr. Sarukkai. “I look forward to helping the company leverage modern technologies, big data and machine intelligence to create a compelling experience that continues important transformations in the FinTech space.”
Rate is well known as a leader in digital financial services. The company launched the first ever digital mortgage, which transformed the industry, and was named NerdWallet’s 2021 Best Mortgage Lender for Online Loans. Rate also won HousingWire’s 2020 Tech100 award for the company’s industry-leading FlashCloseSM technology and launched the AI-driven tech startup Gateless earlier this year.
About Rate Companies:
The Rate Companies includes Rate, Inc., one of the top 5 retail mortgage lenders in the United States, Guaranteed Rate Affinity, LLC, and Proper Rate, LLC. Headquartered in Chicago, Rate Companies combined funded over $73 billion in 2020 and have more than 10,000 employees in over 850 offices across the United States. Founded in 2000 and located in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., Rate has helped homeowners nationwide with home purchase loans and refinances. The company has established itself as an industry leader by introducing innovative technology, offering low rates and delivering unparalleled customer service. In 2017, the company launched Guaranteed Rate Affinity, LLC, a mortgage origination joint venture between Rate, Inc. and Realogy Holdings Corp. (NYSE: RLGY), a global leader in residential real estate franchising and brokerage. In 2020, the company launched Proper Rate, LLC, a mortgage origination joint venture between Rate, Inc. and @properties, one of the nation's largest residential brokerage firms. Collectively, the Rate Companies have earned numerous honors and awards including: Forbes Advisor’s Top 10 Mortgage Lenders for 2021; Best Mortgage Lender for Online Loans and Best Mortgage Lender for Refinancing by NerdWallet for 2021; 2018 Top Lender for Online Service by U.S. News & World Report; HousingWire’s 2020 Tech100 award for the company’s industry-leading FlashCloseSM technology; No. 3 ranking in Scotsman Guide's 2021 list of Top Retail Mortgage Lenders; Chicago Agent Magazine’s Lender of the Year for six consecutive years; and Chicago Tribune's Top Workplaces list for seven consecutive years. Visit rate.com for more information.