Earlytrade began in 2018 by running dynamic discounting programs for enterprises and their supply chains in Australia. Technology entrepreneur, Guy Saxelby, teamed up with product manager, Piers Symons, who was leading advanced data analytics at the ASX, to found the next generation of dynamic discounting models.
And so, Earlytrade was born. An intuitive software platform that seamlessly turns receivables into on-demand liquidity and payables into investment.
During the COVID lockdown years, the states of VIC and NSW shut down their construction sectors because of this, there was an exponential demand for liquidity from companies operating in this sector. The team at Earlytrade worked day and night to customize the platform to be effective at scale in the construction sector. Now the sector is the largest user of early payments in the Asia Pacific.
Today, Earlytrade’s network has grown to 150,000+ business users, with over $3 billion paid early. Earlytrade is operational in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia. Where traditional banks and non-banks have drastically pulled back, Earlytrade has changed the game for all companies supplying and operating in the construction industry.
CEO & Co-founder
Guy Saxelby is the Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Earlytrade, which he launched in 2018 to transform working capital and liquidity in the construction industry. An accomplished entrepreneur and company director, he has a track record of scaling technology disruptors in the UK and Europe, including digital challenger bank Monese, now backed by PayPal, and The Exchange Lab, acquired by WPP. Guy also brings prior experience as a senior advisor at KPMG and remains active as an investor and advisor across fintech and venture capital.
COO & Co-founder
Piers Symons is the Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Earlytrade, where he oversees product, markets, and operations. Prior to Earlytrade, Piers led data analytics strategy at the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) and consulted as a digital product manager at nabtrade, with a focus on investment research, market data, and client insights.
Non-Executive Director
Martell Hardenberg is a Non-Executive Director on Earlytrade’s Board and a Partner at Antler Elevate, where he invests in and supports high-growth technology companies globally. He is a Co-founder of Lazada, Southeast Asia’s largest e-commerce platform, which scaled to over 200 million users before being acquired by Alibaba Group. Martell brings deep expertise in scaling businesses across multiple markets, with a career spanning leadership roles at Rocket Internet, Lazada, and Antler, as well as board positions with several international technology companies.
Non-Executive Director
David Saxelby is a Non-Executive Director on Earlytrade’s Board and one of Australia’s most experienced leaders in the construction, transport, and infrastructure sectors. Over his 35-year career, he has served as CEO of Construction and Infrastructure Australia at Lendlease, where he was a member of the firm’s Global Leadership Team, and as Managing Director of Thiess within the Leighton Group (now CIMIC). David has also served as President of the Australian Constructors Association and continues to hold advisory and non-executive director roles across major infrastructure and public sector organizations.
Non-Executive Director
Murray Coleman is a Non-Executive Director on Earlytrade’s Board and one of Australia’s most senior construction leaders. He is currently Head of Development Projects at Macquarie Capital and has more than 35 years of experience across property, infrastructure, and construction. Prior to joining Macquarie, Murray spent three decades at Lendlease in senior leadership roles, including Global CEO of Bovis Lend Lease, Global Head of Health and Safety, and Global Group Head of Operational Risk, as well as leading construction businesses across Australia, Asia Pacific, and the UK.
Board Advisor
Ben Brahinsky is a member of Earlytrade’s Board of Directors and Principal at Leap Financial, where he has advised companies on finance and growth strategies for more than 17 years. He also serves as National Secretary of the Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA), supporting over 6,500 members across North America in advancing construction financial excellence. Previously, Ben held senior leadership roles at Republic Financial and FMI, bringing decades of expertise in finance, construction, and strategic advisory to Earlytrade’s board.
CEO & Co-founder
Guy Saxelby is the Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Earlytrade, which he launched in 2018 to transform working capital and liquidity in the construction industry. An accomplished entrepreneur and company director, he has a track record of scaling technology disruptors in the UK and Europe, including digital challenger bank Monese, now backed by PayPal, and The Exchange Lab, acquired by WPP. Guy also brings prior experience as a senior advisor at KPMG and remains active as an investor and advisor across fintech and venture capital.
COO & Co-founder
Piers Symons is the Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Earlytrade, where he oversees product, markets, and operations. Prior to Earlytrade, Piers led data analytics strategy at the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) and consulted as a digital product manager at nabtrade, with a focus on investment research, market data, and client insights.
VP of Finance
Scott Spolansky is Earlytrade’s Vice President of Finance, bringing more than two decades of experience leading financial planning, analysis, and corporate finance across technology, education, and financial services. He has held senior finance leadership roles at Alessa, PresenceLearning, The Princeton Review, and Reval, with a track record of building scalable finance organizations and driving successful private equity exits. At Earlytrade, Scott leverages his expertise in strategy, operations, and financial modeling to strengthen margins and deliver sustainable growth.
VP of RevOps and Growth
Ferris Wu is Earlytrade’s Vice President of Revenue Operations and Growth, with nearly eight years of experience scaling the company across sales, marketing, and customer success. He has held leadership roles spanning supplier success, customer success, and market operations, bringing deep expertise in optimizing pipelines, improving working capital, and driving cross-functional growth. Ferris combines strategy, technology, and teams to deliver scalable results for Earlytrade’s clients.
VP of Marketing
Kim Pendergrass is Earlytrade’s Vice President of Marketing, bringing more than a decade of experience building and scaling B2B SaaS go-to-market strategies. She has held senior marketing leadership roles at Vivantio, Corpay, and Nvoicepay, where she led teams from early-stage growth through acquisition. Her expertise spans demand generation, product marketing, and account-based strategies across fintech, construction, and enterprise services.
SVP
Brett Stephenson is Earlytrade’s Senior Vice President of APAC, bringing more than 20 years of experience in sales, partnerships, and revenue leadership. He has held senior roles across SaaS and enterprise software companies, including Chief Revenue Officer at Payapps and growth leadership positions at Skyfii and Blix. Brett specializes in building go-to-market strategies and partnerships that drive customer success and scalable growth across the construction and enterprise sectors.
UK Commercial Manager
Jack Smith is Earlytrade’s UK Commercial Manager, bringing extensive experience in sales leadership and business development across the construction technology sector. He has held senior commercial roles at Autodesk Construction Cloud, Payapps, and WebContractor, where he led teams spanning SDRs, account managers, and business development managers to drive customer growth and retention. At Earlytrade, Jack focuses on expanding the company’s UK presence and building partnerships that deliver measurable value for contractors and subcontractors.
We’re always greater than the sum of our individual parts.
Prioritize open and direct feedback so that all voices have influence.
Actively working to identify and push against the status quo.
Set your own goals and run hard at them.
We are an equal opportunity employer committed to building an inclusive, diverse, and globally representative team. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, cultures, and regions, and strongly encourage individuals from underrepresented communities to apply. We take proactive steps to identify and support exceptional talent—wherever it may be.
Join us in changing the way the construction industry manages their finances
