Meet The Team

Meet the Team Driving Innovation in Commercial Finance

The Xova team is made up of seasoned professionals who are deeply aligned with the company's culture, values, and strategy. This alignment ensures a unified direction and effective execution, enabling Xova to deliver market-leading software solutions tailored for commercial finance brokers, enhancing efficiency and compliance across the board.

Craig Peterson

Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer

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Norm Peterson

Job Title

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Dan Smith

Chief Growth Officer | Growth & Success

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Matt Knight

Co-Founder

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Tony Short

Programme Director | Development & Support

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Dave Forster

Chief Technology Officer

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Shaun Charlton

Senior Graphic Designer

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Aaron Green

Software Developer

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Steven Thompson

Software Developer

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Dan Ord

Senior Software Developer | Development & Support

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Richie Steward

Software Developer | Development & Support

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Craig Peterson

Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer

Craig Peterson brings extensive experience in supporting businesses and leading large-scale development projects. At Xova, he serves as a strategic adviser, mentor, and Non-Exec, helping startups and established businesses raise finance and achieve growth. His expertise spans multiple sectors including technology, alternative finance, property, and regeneration. Craig has a proven track record in raising capital for high-growth ventures and project financing for real estate.

An FCA-approved person, he holds an MBA in Enterprise and is a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute, bringing entrepreneurial insight to strategy and growth.

Norm Peterson

Job Title

Norm Peterson has extensive experience in senior roles across startups, mid-sized SMEs, and PLCs in sectors such as finance, telecoms, infrastructure, and property. His achievements include securing £60M in expansion capital for a Netherlands-based ISP and developing strategic growth plans at Bell CM, focusing on new investment opportunities.

Norm is an FCA-approved person and holds an RICS Post Graduate Diploma in Project Management, along with an MBA from Bradford and completion of the Oxford Private Equity Programme.

Dan Smith

Chief Growth Officer | Growth & Success

As Chief Growth Officer at Xova, Dan Smith brings over 10 years of experience in marketing, communications, and strategic growth. Since joining Xova, he has been instrumental in expanding the company’s market presence and driving its growth strategy. Dan collaborates with the leadership team to develop and implement initiatives that scale operations and enhance client engagement.

In addition to his role at Xova, Dan holds leadership positions across both financial services and technology sectors, further honing his expertise in driving high-impact growth initiatives.

Matt Knight

Co-Founder

Tony Short

Programme Director | Development & Support

Tony Short is a seasoned Programme Director at Xova, with over 20 years of expertise in project management, digital transformation, and software development.

At Xova, Tony ensures the seamless delivery of cutting-edge software solutions, aligning projects with the company's strategic vision. His background in Agile project management and his ability to guide teams through the entire development process are key to Xova’s success in building tools that empower commercial finance brokers to streamline their operations and maintain compliance.

Dave Forster

Chief Technology Officer

Bringing over 20 years of experience in Software Development, Dave is instrumental in driving the development and stability of the Xova platform, as well as creating tailored solutions for the unique needs of Xova clients.

As an experienced solutions architect, Dave plays a key role in evaluating and optimizing the tech stack, supporting the creation of highly-scalable enterprise-level software solutions.

Before joining Xova, Dave held senior positions at Leighton, where he was responsible for delivering enterprise-level software solutions to a diverse range of blue-chip clients, including Sage, Home Group, and Ambassador Theatre Group.

Shaun Charlton

Senior Graphic Designer

With over 15 years experience in both digital and print creative design, Shaun's responsibility's include brand development, UX/UI design, rapid prototypes, product marketing and videography/animation. Shaun has a degree in Graphic Communications from the University of Sunderland.

Aaron Green

Software Developer

As part of the Xova team, Aaron is responsible for assisting with the development and maintenance of the Xova platform.

Aaron has previous experience as a freelance Web Developer and continues to develop his skills across several areas including quality assurance.

Steven Thompson

Software Developer

As part of the Xova team, Steven operates as a full stack ASP.NET developer and is responsible for supporting on the development and maintenance of the Xova platform.

Prior to Xova, Steven gained experience within a number of technology-enabled companies.

Steven has an MSc in Computing and Information Technology from Northumbria University.

Dan Ord

Senior Software Developer | Development & Support

Dan Ord is a highly experienced Senior Software Developer with over two decades of expertise in solutions architecture and software development.

At Quva, Dan plays a key role in driving the technical development of the Xova platform and the bespoke solutions for our clients.

Leveraging his extensive expertise in solutions architecture, Agile methodologies, and DevOps practices, Dan plays a critical role in the day to day running of Xova.

Richie Steward

Software Developer | Development & Support

At Xova, Richie Steward plays a vital role in the development of our software platform, contributing throughout the software development lifecycle.

As an integral part of the development team, Richie ensures the platform's functionality, oversees quality assurance, and streamlines testing processes to guarantee efficient execution.

Unified in Innovation and Excellence

At Xova, our diverse team combines their unique skills and experiences to drive advancements in commercial finance. We are passionate about redefining the sector through innovative solutions tailored to our clients' evolving needs. We ensure that Xova not only meets but exceeds expectations, delivering substantial value for brokers and their clients alike.

Request a Demo

Whether you're eager to streamline your commercial lending processes, have questions about our innovative platform, or are ready to take your brokerage to the next level, we're here for you.

Fill out the form below, and one of our experts in commercial lending digital transformation will reach out to guide you through the Xova experience.