Working at Vanquis: Behind What’s Next
Meet Bhakti Chavan
Opening: Your Story
Tell us about yourself and what you do at Vanquis, without using your job title.
Hello, I’m Bhakti Chavan. I enable Engineering by leading a skilled, talented and like-minded team across Solution Architecture, Platform Specialists, Application Support, Technical Delivery, Partner Management, Audit, Risk, Compliance, and Finance/Budget for Solution Engineering.
What attracted you to Vanquis, and why did you decide to join?
Before joining Vanquis, I was working at a Tier 1 bank and thinking carefully about what I wanted from my next move. I wanted a role where I could stretch myself, take on meaningful challenges, and make a real difference for both customers and colleagues while staying within a regulated industry. Vanquis felt like the right place to do that — it offered the opportunity, challenge and scale I was looking for.
The Next Chapter
What was happening at Vanquis when you joined, and what excited you about being part of it?
When I joined Vanquis, the business was just beginning a major transformation, and that genuinely excited me. I could see a real opportunity to bring my product and technical experience, as well as my background in leading change, to help shape what came next. I loved the idea of being close to the detail, rolling up my sleeves, and working alongside senior stakeholders across the organisation. For me, it felt like a chance to make a meaningful difference while continuing to learn, grow and build my own personal brand.
What does “The Next Chapter Starts With You” mean to you personally?
To me, ‘The Next Chapter Starts With You’ means having the opportunity to help shape the future. It means being trusted and empowered to do work I care deeply about, while bringing my team and those around me on the journey. For me, that journey is about making a difference to customers’ lives in a way that is structured, predictable and supported by strong governance, which is essential in a regulated industry. We have a moral responsibility to our customers, and I take that seriously. It also gives me the opportunity to bring my vision for the function to life — both strategically and by developing our people.
Ownership & Impact
Tell us about a change, improvement or idea you’ve helped bring to life.
My role blends strategy with staying close to the team to provide day-to-day support. One recent example is helping scale Engineering to deliver on a regular fortnightly cadence, so we can meet growing business demand and market commitments. I have also focused on strengthening processes and governance to ensure Engineering is involved early in business asks, rather than being brought in as an afterthought. This includes embedding stage gates to create a more predictable, risk-aware path to live, supporting development and succession planning across my function, and ensuring Delivery leadership builds capacity for team upskilling.
How does your work make a difference to customers, colleagues or the wider business?
My team and I help create the digital experiences that make it easier for customers to interact with the Bank, as well as the tools our Operations colleagues use every day to support customers through the call centre. It is rewarding to know that our work plays a part in important moments for customers, from onboarding and complaint servicing to fraud prevention and financial crime protection.
Problem Solving
What’s one challenge your team has solved that you’re particularly proud of?
There are plenty of examples, but two really stand out for me. Technically, I’m proud of the way the team came together to implement a new financial data model in Salesforce, working across multiple teams, Salesforce orgs, MuleSoft and Data. It was a huge collective effort, and seeing it go live successfully with no post-deployment issues was a real highlight. I’m also proud of how we supported the business through weekly releases to improve customer conversion. It was an intense few months, but it showed the team’s commitment, resilience and focus on doing the right thing for our customers and the business.
What’s a complex problem you’re tackling today that candidates might find exciting?
Automation can sometimes be taken for granted, but scaling it sustainably during a complex technical transformation is a real challenge. We are implementing Copado to support test and DevOps automation, which my team and I are genuinely excited about. It will help us move faster, reduce manual effort and lower the risk of human error. With multiple value streams competing to go live at the same time, the risk of mistakes increases — and this is where automation will be key to our success.
Building What’s Next
Which piece of work will have the biggest impact over the next few years?
By the end of this year, we expect to complete our transformation and move into a more business-as-usual rhythm from next year. The biggest impact will come from operating sustainably at scale, with established cadences that enable us to deliver value to customers rapidly.
What excites you most about the future of your area?
Technology is constantly evolving, which means there is always something new to learn, improve and build on. What excites me most is maturing the function and embedding stable, effective ways of working until they become second nature. Because my function is both broad and deep, there are many opportunities to improve. Ultimately, my goal is for us to be a trusted partner to business stakeholders, helping them achieve meaningful business outcomes.
Technology & Innovation
What’s one misconception people might have about Technology & Change at Vanquis?
One misconception is that technology and engineering are boring, or that women cannot thrive in tech. My career has shown me the opposite. I started as a software engineer and later moved into architecture, business analysis and product management, but Engineering has always felt like my natural home. Joining Vanquis felt like coming back to where I belonged — working with engineers and specialists, shaping what we build together, and constantly learning, experimenting and staying challenged.
Growth & Development
How have you grown professionally since joining Vanquis?
I joined as a Lead Engineering Product Owner, managing a team of technical Product Owners. Over time, my role expanded to include leadership of Scrum Masters, and around 18 months ago, I moved into a Head of Function role covering the breadth of capabilities I have mentioned. It has been a rewarding but steep learning curve, both professionally and personally. In four years, I have grown from leading a team of five to leading a team of 42. While I had not previously led any of the verticals within my function, I have always embraced challenges and focused on making a meaningful difference.
What advice would you give to someone looking to grow their career in your field?
Someone I’m close to professionally in Vanquis has often reminded me to believe in myself, recognise what I bring, and be brave enough to pursue the opportunities I want. I would share the same advice with others: trust yourself, stay curious and never be afraid to ask ‘why’. Your fresh perspective can be incredibly valuable. When things do not go according to plan, take the lesson, get back up, and keep going — those moments often help you grow the most. And as you progress, stay humble and grounded. Remember that someone once believed in you and offered a helping hand, so make sure you do the same for colleagues who need support along the way.
Culture & Belonging
What has surprised you most about the culture here?
What has surprised me most is how much people genuinely care. I have seen colleagues support one another through challenges and stay focused on doing the right thing as an organisation, which says a lot about the culture here. Even when things are difficult, we find a way through together because we are resilient. I have also been pleasantly surprised by the balance I have found as an ambitious working mum. Whether it is managing school runs or attending my child’s performances, I feel trusted to balance those commitments without guilt, as long as I continue to deliver.
How would you describe your team in three words?
Caring, Competent, Resilient
Looking Ahead
If we spoke again in two years, what would you hope to have achieved?
In two years’ time, I hope to see the key challenges within my function resolved and the team set up for sustained success. From there, I’d love to take on the next opportunity within the organisation — one where I can continue to use my skills, make a meaningful contribution, and keep learning and growing.
Candidate Close
What’s the one thing you’d want candidates to know before applying?
This role is for you if you want to contribute, lead and grow both personally and professionally. It suits people who bring energy, stay calm under pressure, share the highs and challenges with colleagues, and take pride in what they achieve for themselves, their team and the organisation. If you have that fire in your belly and a desire to keep developing, I would encourage you to apply. We can invest in technical skills, but the right attitude, values and cultural fit matter just as much.
“We can invest in technical skills, but the right attitude, values and cultural fit matter just as much.”
THE NEXT CHAPTER STARTS WITH YOU