The latest SME finance monitor report has showed that 8 out of 10 SMEs are refusing to apply for new finance as a result of Brexit uncertainty. Angus Dent, CEO of Peer to Peer lending platform ArchOver, on why that is the wrong approach for businesses and why a strong UK economy needs companies to…
Read moreAlternative business funding provider, ThinCats, has recruited an Origination Manager for Scotland. Geoff O’Brien will be the key contact for Scotland, leading all new business origination across the region. O’Brien has significant, relevant experience for the position, through his Director level roles at the likes of Santander and Clydesdale Bank, specialising in Business Development, supporting…
Read moreNew figures released by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show that asset finance new business (primarily leasing and hire purchase) for deals of up to £20 million grew by 6% in July, compared with the same month last year. Including high-value deals, new business fell by 1% over the same period. The plant and…
Read moreBusinesses may need to take a greater ‘leap of faith’ and invest for the future despite the current uncertainty. In the ICAEW’s latest Economic Forecast, it predicts GDP growth of 1.6% in both 2017 and 2018, 0.8% slower than the average for the past three years. Despite the lack of certainty on Brexit, the economic…
Read more2016 showed a continued decline of 6% in the number of company insolvencies in the Central and Eastern European (CEEE) region, following a fall of 14% in 2015 according to new reseach by Coface. In all, over the course of last year, six entities per 1,000 became insolvent. This improvement was in line with the…
Read moreBNP Paribas Leasing Solutions has appointed Morgan Vessier as new Head of Risk. Vessier, who joined the BNP Paribas Group in 2005, has worked across several key business units, including BNP Paribas Personal Finance, where he served as the Head of Center for Scoring, and the Turkish Economic Bank (TEB), where he acted as Director…
Read moreShire Leasing has announced that it has surpassed £100 million in own book lending. The news comes only 5 months after it secured a further £37.4m facility under the government-backed British Business Bank’s ENABLE Funding programme, in place to help it increase funding to smaller businesses. Mark Picken, Shire’s Managing Director, said “The £100 million figure is…
Read moreThe Bank of England latest statistics showed a £200 million decrease in loans to smaller businesses during July. Mike Cherry, Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) National Chairman, said “Small businesses appetite for new finance is waning against a backdrop of unprecedented uncertainty, anaemic domestic growth and inflationary pressure weighing on consumer demand. Investment intentions are not where they should be…
Read moreEuropean conference, LendIt Europe has announced a unique partnership with SeedInvest, a leading equity crowdfunding platform, to enable delegate investment live from the conference floor at this year’s event. The live fundraising feature, which will be an industry first in Europe, will allow eight of the PitchIt finalists to raise money immediately at the event…
Read moreRedwood Bank, a new business bank for SMEs, has announced that just over four months after securing its initial banking licence, it has completed its “mobilisation” phase and has now opened for business, offering secured SME mortgages for business owners, as well as for experienced commercial and residential property investors. It has also launched a…
Read moreThe Association of Short Term Lenders (ASTL) has today announced its new executive committee for the upcoming year. The new board will take effect as of the 1st September 2017. The board will continue to comprise seven directors who will act as a guiding influence, while providing direction and decision making to the Association. Benson Hersch,…
Read moreABN AMRO Commercial Finance (ACF) has appointed Andrew Johnston as UK Head of Sales SME. Johnston will lead a team of business development managers located across England and Wales focused on supporting SMEs with funding requirements up to £10m. With over 26 years’ experience in financial services, Andrew joins ACF from the Royal Bank of…
Read moreSiemens Financial Services (SFS) has appointed Julian Hobbs as Chief Executive Officer of the Commercial Finance division. Hobbs joined the SFS Commercial Finance business in December 2010, following previous sales and risk roles in the asset and receivables financing industries, more latterly as Managing Director of Deutsche Leasing’s operations in the United Kingdom and Ireland.…
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