New growth programs are expected to be announced in the coming months, he said.
“Ms. Hardwick is a trailblazing leader in the wealth management and wealthtech spaces, with more than 30 years of experience as a senior executive, entrepreneur and board member for some of the fastest-growing and widely-recognized firms in the industry,” Docupace said in its announcement. Her appointment is expected to expedite an ambitious strategic expansion at Docupace.
Hardwick was a co-founder of Envestnet, and later joined BNY Mellon's Pershing as its chief operating officer before co-founding AI Labs, an advisor-centric digital data aggregating platform. She is described by Docupace as “a sought-after board member in the technology and financial advice space.”
She currently holds board seats at Cetera Financial Group, Orion Advisor Solutions, Cerity Partners and Vestwell, where she also serves as chair of the Board of Directors. In addition, she is a member of Genstar Capital's Strategic Advisory Board.
The appointment comes at a time when Docupace is expanding its executive leadership team to support its strong growth and focused intent to deliver a comprehensive back-office ecosystem to the wealth management industry, Docupace said. Among its new hires, Docupace recently announced the appointment of John Stilo as executive vice president, finance and accounting; Sebastian Skwarek as executive vice president, engineering and president of Docupace Europe; Florence Royce as vice president, professional services; and Nouman Jan as director, information technology and site reliability engineering.
"Docupace is a true game-changing technology platform for the wealth management industry, and the leadership team there shares my passion for innovative technologies that can empower better financial advice," Hardwick said in a statement. Docupace recognizes “how tech-driven back-office transformation can unlock new opportunities for firms to grow by delivering an exceptional service experience for back-office professionals, financial advisors and their end clients.”
Knoch added in a statement, “Docupace has undergone a significant transformation in recent years, leading to unprecedented growth in demand for our solutions. Lori is a remarkable selection to lead our board and provide the advice and counsel to guide the firm through this period of ongoing rapid growth and beyond.”
The Docupace platform is used by financial firms to reduce back-office expenses, improve efficiency, strengthen recruiting, and enhance the experience of advisors and investors, the firm said.