Branch Welcomes Homepoint Cofounder Brian Brizard As Chief Business Officer
Former Chief Strategy Officer Joins the Rapidly-Growing Insurtech on the Heels of a Successful Partnership Launch with Homepoint
Branch, a full-stack insurance company that uses data, technology, and automation to make home and auto insurance simpler to buy and less expensive, has announced Homepoint Cofounder and former Chief Strategy Officer Brian Brizard has joined its executive team as Chief Business Officer. As Branch continues its nationwide expansion, Brizard’s hiring marks a major investment to the commercial end of Branch’s business and partnership strategy.
“We are extremely grateful to have someone with Brian’s experience and vision join the Branch leadership team. As a multi-platinum entrepreneur, operator, and investor in mortgage and insurance businesses with embedded-insurance experience, Brian will be a huge asset to the future of Branch,” shared Steve Lekas, Cofounder and CEO of Branch.
Branch has been actively adding new partners to its roster, embedding its unique frictionless insurance technology across the mortgage, home security, and auto lending landscapes. Embedding insurance with Branch into insurance-required moments (like mortgage origination) ultimately helps lower the cost of home and auto insurance while improving customer retention rates for partners.
Brizard joins the team with more than two decades of mortgage expertise, making him a crucial asset to the Branch growth and partnership strategy, which already includes industry-leading lenders like Homepoint. Having previously held multiple executive roles at Homepoint, Brizard was part of the team that developed Homepoint’s path to an IPO in January 2021. Previously, Brizard founded Pioneer Mortgage, successfully navigating the company from a small mortgage broker to a thriving multi-state mortgage lender culminating in the sale of the business.
“The financial services industry can feel very transactional and lagging from a technology perspective. But, Branch caught my attention with its incredible technology that serves to lower the price of insurance across the board,” shared Brizard. “I feel extremely fortunate to join a team that’s dedicated to restoring insurance to its communal roots, and by doing so, taking care of its members in a way that’s unlike any other company.”
