Donal Vaughan
About Donal Vaughan
Donal Vaughan serves as the SME Lending Lead at Starling Bank, where he has worked since 2019. He has a background in commercial credit and relationship management, with previous roles at RateSetter, Growth Street, and Bank of Ireland.
Work at Starling Bank
Donal Vaughan has served as the SME Lending Lead at Starling Bank since 2019. In this role, he has been instrumental in designing the SME borrowing application journey, enhancing the customer experience. He contributed to the creation of SME Credit Policy and Procedure documentation, ensuring compliance and operational efficiency. Vaughan also implemented improvements in the underwriting process, which streamlined lending operations. His responsibilities included future planning of resources to maintain service availability for customers and internal stakeholders.
Previous Experience in Financial Services
Before joining Starling Bank, Donal Vaughan held several positions in the financial services sector. He worked as a Senior Manager in Commercial Credit at RateSetter from 2014 to 2018. Prior to that, he served as a Senior Relationship Manager at Habib Bank AG Zurich for one year. His career also includes a role as Head of Credit at Growth Street from 2018 to 2019, and various positions at Bank of Ireland, including Assistant Business Manager and Associate Director.
Education and Expertise
Donal Vaughan has a strong educational background in finance and management. He studied at the IFS School of Learning, where he achieved a Certificate in International Trade Finance in 2013. He also attended Cork Institute of Technology, earning a qualification in Accounting Technicians from 1999 to 2001. Additionally, he studied Business Studies at The Open University from 2010 to 2011. His education has equipped him with the skills necessary for managing credit and lending processes.
Leadership and Team Management
Throughout his career, Donal Vaughan has demonstrated leadership capabilities, particularly in managing teams. At Starling Bank, he managed a team of 15 SME Collections Specialists, addressing complex queries and insolvency issues. His experience in team management is complemented by his roles at Bank of Ireland, where he held various positions that required oversight and strategic planning.