Click n’ Close, a multi-state mortgage lender, has appointed Merv Govender as chief information officer (CIO). Govender brings more than 27 years of technology leadership experience across the banking, gaming and healthcare industries, according to a company press release.
As CIO, he will be tasked to lead Click n’ Close’s technology development and deployment strategy, with a focus on building and deploying tools that support the company’s lending operations and third-party origination channels. Govender will also oversee cybersecurity, infrastructure and the company’s adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) across its lending operations.
“Click n’ Close has always viewed technology not just as a competitive advantage but as an operational imperative, and our entrepreneurial mindset means we’re willing to look outside this industry for the talent and ideas that push us forward,” Click n’ Close President Ian Kimball said in the release. “We’ve found that leaders who have seen what technology can accomplish in other high-stakes, compliance-driven environments bring a perspective this industry needs. That is precisely where Merv has spent his career, which is why we’re confident his background will directly inform how we build and deploy technology going forward.”
Govender previously led large-scale technology transformations in industries defined by strict regulatory requirements and complex operational demands, in which he focused on aligning technology investment with business strategy, modernizing infrastructure and strengthening cybersecurity programs.
“Having spent my career in highly regulated industries, I understand the stakes involved in getting technology right, and mortgage is no different,” Govender said. “My focus will be on building the kind of infrastructure and AI capabilities that benefit not just Click n’ Close but also its partners and, ultimately, borrowers.”
More recently, his work has expanded to include helping organizations operationalize AI as a practical tool for efficiency, decision-making and growth, an emphasis he will bring to Click n’ Close’s lending operations.