Credit Sesame is one of the best websites for personal finance and credit monitoring. It offers free credit scores, reports, monitoring, and identity protection. But who really runs this well-known financial services business?
The Founder and CEO – Adrian Nazari
An entrepreneur named Adrian Nazari started Credit Sesame in 2010. Nazari is also the CEO and head of the company.
According to the Credit Sesame website Nazari has a passion for using technology to help consumers better manage their financial lives. He has over 20 years of experience working in Silicon Valley and was previously an executive at companies like Yahoo! and eBay.
Under Nazari’s leadership, Credit Sesame has grown to serve over 10 million users. The company has raised over $200 million in funding from investors like Globespan Capital Partners, Menlo Ventures, and Inventus Capital Partners.
The Leadership Team Supporting the CEO
While Adrian Nazari provides the overall vision and direction as CEO, he has assembled an experienced executive team to help manage and grow Credit Sesame:
Pejman Makhfi, Chief Technology Officer – Makhfi has over 20 years of experience developing products and leading engineering teams. He heads technology and development initiatives at Credit Sesame.
Paul Rava is the Chief Financial Officer. Rava has worked as a finance executive for Yahoo!, Overture Services, and Idealab, among others. He oversees finances, accounting, and investments.
Marcus Beisel is the Chief Product and Operating Officer. He is in charge of marketing, operations, and developing new products. He has a background in marketing and business management.
Shadi Khorashadi, General Counsel – Khorashadi is an experienced attorney who serves as the chief legal officer overseeing legal strategy and compliance.
David Bagatelle, Head of Global Operations and Banking – Bagatelle runs the banking, payments, and customer support operations globally. He has over 25 years of experience in financial services.
Shazia Virji, Head of Business Development and Credit – Virji leads partnerships, credit data acquisition, and business growth initiatives. She has over 15 years of experience in credit and data.
This experienced leadership team provides the strategic direction and management oversight to run Credit Sesame’s operations and products across engineering, marketing, legal, finance, and more.
A Company Focused on Helping Consumers
In discussing Credit Sesame’s mission, Founder and CEO Adrian Nazari has said:
“Credit isn’t just about a score. It has a huge social impact on millions of lives. Our team shares a passion for closing that gap.”
This passion for making personal finance and credit accessible is reflected across Credit Sesame’s products and services. Features like free credit scores, reports, monitoring, financial advice, and identity protection aim to help consumers better understand and manage their financial lives.
The company’s leadership seems focused on continuing to innovate and leverage technology to build on this mission. Recent initiatives include a digital bank account, cash back rewards program, and new financial planning tools.
Funding from Major Investors
In addition to its founders and executives, Credit Sesame has been funded by some major investors:
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Globespan Capital Partners – A venture capital firm that invested $4 million in Credit Sesame in 2010.
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Menlo Ventures – A VC firm that led a $12 million Series B round in 2011.
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Inventus Capital Partners – An investor that put in $16 million through a Series C round in 2013.
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other investors – Additional funding has come from firms like IA Capital Group, Capital One, and EDBI.
In total, Credit Sesame has raised over $200 million in capital through investors who believe in the company’s mission and growth potential in the personal finance space.
Continued Growth and Expansion
Starting from its beginnings in 2010, Credit Sesame has rapidly grown under its founder and executives:
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The company now serves over 10 million users who benefit from free access to credit scores, monitoring, advice, and identity protection.
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Credit Sesame has over 100 employees working on developing new products and features.
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It has expanded offerings to include services like digital banking, cash back rewards, and financial planning.
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The company continues to form new partnerships with credit providers and financial institutions.
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Credit Sesame is exploring additional opportunities in areas like loans, insurance, and more.
This growth shows how the company has established itself as a leading free personal finance resource under the leadership of individuals like Founder Adrian Nazari and its executive team.
He is supported by a knowledgeable executive team covering areas like technology, product, operations, finance, and legal. Major investors have also funded Credit Sesame’s rapid growth.
This combination of visionary leadership, financial backing, and talented management has allowed Credit Sesame to reach over 10 million users with products like free credit scores, monitoring, advice, and identity theft protection.
As it continues to innovate and expand into new areas, Credit Sesame seems well-positioned under its current leadership to further its goal of empowering consumers to take control of their financial futures.
Adrian Nazari, CEO Adrian Nazari is the founder and CEO of Credit Sesame, a leading consumer credit and personal finance website that provides millions of consumers access to free student loan management, free credit scores, free credit monitoring, free credit and identity protection and better ways to save money and manage their finances — all in one place.
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Who owns Credit Sesame?
FAQ
Who is Credit Sesame owned by?
Adrian Nazari founded Credit Sesame after the last financial crisis to help consumers improve their financial health by giving them free access to their credit score for the first time ever.
Is Credit Sesame trustworthy?
Credit Sesame offers the same protections and security measures as reputable banks. For example, Sesame Cash is FDIC-insured. This means the government will protect your account up to $250,000 if the bank goes bankrupt.
Is Credit Sesame a TransUnion?
With TransUnion data as its backbone, Credit Sesame builds and manages a very interesting product platform, mobile app, and network of connected financial offers.
Does Credit Sesame use Equifax?
Credit Sesame. Credit Karma usually has more complete information than Credit Sesame, even though both are free credit monitoring services. Credit Karma gets its data from two credit bureaus, Equifax and TransUnion, while Credit Sesame only gets its data from TransUnion.