Specialist lender Together has appointed its first chief artificial intelligence (AI) officer.

Apoorv Kashyap, known as AK, joins the property finance group from Santander UK, where he served as head of AI.

At Together, Kashyap will report to chief executive Richard Rowntree.

Kashyap said: “Artificial intelligence is already providing vast new opportunities for financial services and will undoubtedly reshape the industry over the coming decades.

“My job will be to work out the best way to harness this latest innovation to benefit Together and help shape the business for future success. The opportunity to help build on this success and shape its next 50-year chapter as the business evolves into ‘Together 2.0’ is truly compelling.”

Rowntree said: “AK will help us think practically and ambitiously about how AI can support better decision-making, improve the experience for customers, brokers and colleagues, and create greater efficiency across the business.

“His role will be central to helping us identify the right opportunities, build the right capabilities and apply AI in a responsible and commercially focused way.”