Mr Daniel Wessels is a respected entrepreneur who has built one of the fastest growing digital lending companies in Australia.
As founder and CEO of Jacaranda Finance, his vision to revolutionise the concept of fast, fair and responsible short-term lending has seen the company ranked in the Australian Financial Review Fast 100 list in 2021.
Mr Wessels has received numerous industry awards including Australia’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2018, 2019 and 2020, and ranking 25th in Australia’s Top 100 Young Entrepreneurs in 2023.
He is committed to having a positive impact on the community, advocating for causes such as the Hear and Say Foundation, the Cancer Council and Down Syndrome Australia. He also launched the Jacaranda Finance Scholarship for Entrepreneurs to help young Australians support themselves and grow businesses of their own.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
“As a kid growing up in Zimbabwe in the 90’s, my parents did a great job of sheltering my brother and I from the unfolding social and political unrest. Sport was our main focus – my brother and I are ultra-competitive and aspired to play sports at the highest level. We didn’t care which sport, we just wanted to be professional sportspeople. Some of my favourite memories from UQ were on the squash courts!”
