Dark Matter Technologies announced the appointment of Vikas Rao as deputy chief product officer.
Reporting directly to Chief Product Officer Stephanie Durflinger, Rao is charged with overseeing enhancements to the Empower loan origination system and establishing Dark Matter’s developer community.
Rao previously served as vice president of product management for mortgage origination technology provider Ellie Mae.
There, he led product strategy for the Encompass loan origination platform and for Ellie Mae’s Developer Connect solution, a suite of APIs that enabled lenders and partners to securely share information.
Though Rao took a career break following the $11 billion acquisition of Ellie Mae by Intercontinental Exchange in 2020, he ultimately found the opportunity to help guide Dark Matter’s tech transformation too compelling to pass up.
“Dark Matter’s pioneering advancements in automation and AI are reshaping the mortgage landscape,” Rao said in a release. “I’m eager to apply my expertise to propel Dark Matter’s mission forward, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in mortgage origination and amplifying our impact on the homebuying experience of lenders and consumers alike.”
Rao has more than 15 years of experience in software engineering, product management and technology leadership spanning public and private companies within the mortgage industry and in Silicon Valley’s startup scene. He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science and is a 2017 graduate of Stanford University’s Stanford Ignite executive education program.
“Vikas has an impressive track record of success in driving digital innovation and API utilization in mortgage origination,” Dark Matter CEO Rich Gagliano said. “With his technical chops and effective leadership style, Vika will play a pivotal role in our mission to empower lenders through AI, automation and innovation.”