Why I joined Borderless: Tom Hext, Product Lead

This post is part of our ongoing ‘Why I joined Borderless’ series, where we spotlight new team members and the journeys that brought them here.

We’re thrilled to welcome Tom Hext to the Borderless leadership team as our new Product Lead. Tom joins us from Deel, where he spearheaded global immigration services across 70+ offerings in 50+ countries.

With over a decade of experience in fintech, cybersecurity, and SaaS, Tom brings deep product expertise, a strong track record of shipping from zero to one, and a commitment to building platforms that scale. At Borderless, he’ll lead our product strategy as we help UK employers stay compliant with evolving Home Office rules and reinvent how immigration and right to work checks are done.

Here’s what Tom had to say about joining Borderless.

What drew you to Borderless?

I’ve spent most of my career in high-growth SaaS, helping teams launch and scale complex products — and immigration is one of the most complex, high-stakes domains I’ve encountered. What impressed me about Borderless is how deeply mission-led it is. This isn’t just a compliance tool — it’s a platform that protects jobs, keeps employers safe, and helps people build lives in the UK. That matters.

The market is also at an inflection point. With Home Office audits increasing, fines rising, and sponsor licence revocations climbing, compliance is no longer optional — it’s business-critical. Borderless is perfectly positioned to lead.

What’s your vision for the product?

We’re building the category-defining platform for immigration compliance. That means automating the painful bits — like Right to Work checks, visa tracking, audit trails — but also surfacing insights that let businesses act with confidence.

In my first few weeks, I’ve been listening closely to customers, our operations teams, and of course the Borderless engineers who’ve built something seriously impressive. The challenge now is scale — and product-led growth will be key to that.

How is Borderless different from your past experiences?

There’s a sense of urgency here — and a culture of ownership — that I find energising. Everyone knows why we’re here. Everyone’s close to the customer.

At Deel, I learned how to build immigration services at scale. At Borderless, I get to apply that knowledge while going even deeper into one of the world’s most tightly regulated immigration systems. It’s a rare opportunity — to build fast and get it right.

What advice would you give to others thinking of joining Borderless?

If you want to work somewhere mission-driven, where your work has immediate real-world impact — and where speed and trust go hand-in-hand — this is the place. Bring ideas, bring curiosity, and bring your full self.

Want to join Tom and help build the future of compliant immigration? Check out our open roles →