Robert Lay is a transformative financial executive and operations strategist with over 25 years of proven leadership across public and private sector organizations. With a distinguished record in executive finance, mergers and acquisitions, and operational restructuring, Robert has repeatedly demonstrated the ability to deliver exceptional business outcomes in highly regulated and complex industries.

Currently serving as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Selene Holdings LLC, an operating company of Pretium Partners, Robert oversees financial strategy for a diversified $190M portfolio, including mortgage servicing, title and escrow, insurance, and due diligence services. He was appointed in 2022 to lead the turnaround of a financially underperforming business, and within two years, engineered a remarkable shift from a $11M net loss to $16M in net income—a $27M improvement. His leadership also helped reduce headcount strategically, resulting in $25M in annualized savings, while improving free cash flow by $26M year-over-year.

Robert’s scope of influence expanded in 2024, when he was named EVP of Adjacent Businesses, taking operations responsibility for a 150-employee operation across three specialized verticals. Amidst the 2023 banking crisis, Robert swiftly executed a risk-mitigating strategy that protected over $300M in assets and redirected funds to more secure banking partners, resulting in a $20M increase in annual interest income.

Prior to Selene, Robert spent a decade at First American Financial Corporation, a $9.2B publicly traded Fortune 100 company, where he held multiple Division CFO roles. He successfully unified finance teams across Mortgage Solutions, Docutech, First Funding, and National Production Services—ultimately overseeing over $700M in revenue. Robert also led financial due diligence and integration efforts for key acquisitions, including the $350M purchase of Docutech and the $50M acquisition of Service Mac.

Robert’s leadership at First American was instrumental in delivering over $30M in operating profit growth, revitalizing low-performing business units, and reducing operating expenses by $18M. He introduced Lean Six Sigma practices, built business intelligence teams, and transformed corporate reporting structures to better support executive decision-making.

Earlier in his career, Robert held pivotal finance leadership roles at Experian and UPS, where he developed deep expertise in FP&A, pricing strategy, customer analytics, and corporate forecasting. At Experian, he led the finance integration of a $208M acquisition and developed customer lifetime value models that influenced $250M in annual marketing investment decisions.

Robert holds an MBA in Finance and a BA in Corporate Financial Management, both from California State University, Fullerton. He also holds a Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt and an Accounting Certificate from National University. A builder of high-performance teams and an advocate for financial accountability, Robert is a trusted advisor to executive peers and boards alike. He is now seeking to extend his impact through board service, particularly with organizations that value financial discipline, operational excellence, and strategic foresight.

With a pragmatic approach and a passion for driving growth through smart, sustainable financial leadership, Robert Lay remains a compelling force in the C-suite and an asset to any organization navigating transformation or preparing for its next phase of strategic growth.

Character: Robert demonstrates integrity, resilience, and accountability, consistently leading organizations through complex challenges with transparency and focus.

Knowledge: He possesses deep financial and operational expertise, honed through over 25 years of experience in Fortune 100 companies and high-growth environments.

Strategic: Robert is a forward-thinking leader who drives transformation by aligning finance with business strategy, executing M&A transactions, and optimizing performance.

Communication: He is an effective communicator who fosters cross-functional collaboration, builds high-performance teams, and partners closely with executives and stakeholders to drive results.