Natalie Wilmore – Pagaya

The world of financial technology moves fast—and for Natalie Wilmore, that’s exactly how she likes it. As deputy general counsel and corporate secretary at Pagaya, a company revolutionizing consumer lending through artificial intelligence, Wilmore thrives in what she calls “organized chaos.” Her workday might start with planning a board meeting and end with negotiating an employment integration clause from a recent acquisition. It’s a pace few could maintain, but for Wilmore, it’s where she does her best thinking.

Natalie Wilmore | Pagaya | Deputy General Counsel & Corporate Secretary

Pagaya Technologies Ltd., founded in 2016 and headquartered in New York and Tel Aviv, uses machine learning and AI to transform credit underwriting. Through its proprietary network of APIs, Pagaya enables over 30 lending partners—banks and fintechs alike—to evaluate and underwrite loans instantly. These loans are then packaged and sold to a pool of 130+ institutional investors, expanding access to capital and credit. Pagaya’s platform is invisible to the borrower but powerful behind the scenes, enabling smarter lending decisions for millions of consumers who might otherwise be left behind.

That seamless behind-the-scenes functionality requires rigorous legal infrastructure, and that’s where Wilmore comes in. Since joining Pagaya in April 2024, she has taken the lead on everything from corporate governance to intellectual property, funding transactions to employment law. As the company continues evolving as a U.S. public company—having gone public more than three years ago—Wilmore ensures the legal structure keeps pace with growth and regulation.

“My job is a constantly shifting puzzle,” Wilmore explains. “But there’s an art to it. I’m always organizing my week, my quarter, around what matters most to the company. You have to prioritize ruthlessly.”

Building for scale, one framework at a time

Wilmore’s legal career began with a romance—literally. With a degree in politics and romance languages from NYU, she wasn’t initially sure about law school. But a friend’s influence and her love for learning set her on the legal path. She attended NYU Law and took a slightly unconventional route, interning at a publicly traded company on Long Island instead of a traditional law firm during her 2L summer.

“I didn’t know business, didn’t grow up around it,” she says. “But that internship showed me how legal and business decisions intersect. It made corporate law tangible.”

She started her career in private practice, then moved in-house, working for companies like Exela Technologies, IBM, Skillz, and TelevisaUnivision. At IBM, she cut her teeth on SEC compliance and corporate governace gold standards—an experience she describes as “some of the best training you can get.”

Wilmore eventually became known as a builder—someone who helps organizations prepare for and thrive as public companies.

“That’s really been the theme of my career,” she reflects. “Helping build the frameworks that allow companies to scale and operate effectively in the public markets.”

Pagaya offered her another opportunity to do just that. Though already public when she joined, the company is incorporated in Israel and was transitioning into the U.S. public company framework. Wilmore stepped in with her structured mindset and deep knowledge of SEC compliance to guide that transition smoothly.

Learning at the speed of change

Wilmore’s ability to manage change is one of her superpowers. She’s part of a legal and compliance team of just over a dozen, with oversight across the corporate function. Her corporate secretary responsibilities alone—governing board and committee meetings, handling executive compensation disclosures, and ensuring timely SEC filings—consume most of her time. Still, she embraces the diversity of her role.

“It’s like a never-ending, well-organized to-do list,” she says with a smile. “But I constantly step back to ensure what I’m working on aligns with the priorities of the C-suite. That’s what good in-house lawyers do—we stay close to the business strategy.”

Her recent work on Pagaya’s acquisition of Theorem Technologies Inc. is a perfect example. The acquisition, completed in October 2024, added over $3 billion in funding capital to support investor demand. Wilmore was a key player in the transaction, particularly in matters related to employment law. It was a high-stakes, high-impact project that exemplified how her business fluency and legal rigor come together.

Wilmore also contributed to Pagaya’s recent point-of-sale securitization—a complex funding transaction she supported. These deals reflect her expertise in law and her profound understanding of Pagaya’s dual-sided business model.

“We’re not just lending to everybody,” she explains. “But we take a more holistic, data-rich view of creditworthiness. The borrowers may never know Pagaya exists, but we’re helping them get approved when others might have turned them down.”

A personalized approach

As a leader, Wilmore doesn’t believe in one-size-fits-all management. She tailors her approach to each team member, recognizing that different individuals require distinct support structures to thrive.

“I think of leadership as personalized,” she says. “You’ve got to meet people where they are, understand their strengths, and give them opportunities to grow.”

That philosophy extends to her own development, too. Even with years of experience, she still considers herself a learner.

“For the most part, you’re always learning throughout your career,” she says. “In-house, you get tapped to do so many different things. That’s part of what drew me in—the variety, the impact, and the constant challenge.”

That hunger for growth makes Pagaya a fitting home. With its AI-powered network, evolving regulatory landscape, and ambitious plans, the company offers fertile ground for legal professionals who want to be part of shaping strategy, not just executing it.

“There’s so much room for growth here,” Wilmore says. “If you want to expand your skills and grow your career, this is the place.”

Whether planning months ahead for a board meeting or pivoting to a high-priority deal, Wilmore navigates her work with discipline and flexibility. Her talent lies in making sense of uncertainty, building order from complexity, and turning the unpredictable rhythms of in-house legal work into a sustainable, strategic engine for business growth.

Pagaya’s mission—to expand financial opportunity through smarter data and AI—mirrors Wilmore’s professional ethos: using knowledge, adaptability, and strategic thinking to give people access to what they need to thrive. Whether it’s a borrower looking for a fair shot at a loan or a colleague learning the ropes of corporate governance, Wilmore ensures the path forward is clear, compliant, and built to last.