#USA #New York #Findell Capital #Oportun Financial #James Gutierrez

Findell Capital Challenges Oportun Financial's Leadership

On June 23, 2025, Findell Capital Partners, a major stakeholder in Oportun Financial Corporation (NASDAQ OPRT), made waves by releasing a rebuttal presentation. This marks an important move in their ongoing efforts to influence and reshape the board of directors at Oportun, a company facing scrutiny over its leadership and performance. Especially noteworthy is the full support from Oportun's founder and former CEO, James Gutierrez. Gutierrez’s endorsement adds weight to Findell's broader campaign for significant board change.

In his open letter to stockholders, Gutierrez voiced his agreement with Findell's assessment of Oportun's struggles. He praised Findell's strategic plan, stating it provides a clear path to bridging the existing valuation gap. Gutierrez lauded Findell Capital’s ability to accurately identify the root causes of Oportun’s underperformance against its industry peers and highlighted their focused proposal aimed at restoring value for shareholders.

The Proxy Contest

Findell's presentation emphasizes how Oportun's leadership has complicated recent events. They assert that the company's failure to fill essential board leadership positions with qualified independent directors has only deepened the ongoing proxy contest, leading to increased costs without tangible benefits. The presentation draws attention to former OneMain Financial CFO Scott Parker’s removal from the board and positions the ousting of Raul Vazquez, the current CEO, as a crucial step toward improved governance.

Findell argues that ditching the leadership of a perceived ineffective CEO would allow the board to regain vital oversight over management decisions. They maintain that prior to their intervention, Oportun was significantly lagging behind its competitors, indicating that the board’s refreshing is essential to avoid further value loss.

Call for Action to Shareholders

In the wake of these developments, Findell Capital is rallying shareholders for the upcoming 2025 Annual Meeting. They are encouraging stockholders to vote ‘FOR’ the election of Warren Wilcox, an independent director with extensive lending experience, as a replacement for Raul Vazquez on the board. This initiative seeks to enhance the lending industry expertise and independence of Oportun’s board, aligning its leadership structure more closely with its operational needs.

Findell's statement reflects a shared concern among stakeholders regarding Oportun's past performance, urging immediate action to restore shareholder confidence. Their campaign highlights the importance of ensuring that the board not only has strong lending credentials but also an unbiased presence capable of steering the company back to financial health.

As James Gutierrez emphasized in his letter, shareholder participation in this decision-making process is critical. For more details on how to get involved, stakeholders can visit the dedicated website set up by Findell Capital: OpportunityAtOportun.com.

This is more than just a battle for board control; it’s about the future direction of Oportun Financial amid a challenging market landscape. Shareholders will stand at a crucial crossroads—whether to support leadership that aims for proactive reform, or to maintain the status quo that has yet to yield positive results.

Conclusion

As Findell Capital takes decisive steps to influence Oportun’s trajectory, industry watchers will be looking closely at the outcomes of their efforts. The stakes are high, and the narrative surrounding Oportun will continue to evolve as shareholders weigh their options and preferences. The coming months are likely to be pivotal in determining the company’s future direction and performance in the rapidly changing financial services space.