Hampshire Trust Bank (HTB) has appointed Ashling Quinn as Lending Director within its Development Finance team, where she will support brokers and SME developers across the Midlands. Reporting to Rob Syrett, Head of Originations, Development Finance, Quinn brings more than a decade of banking experience, including seven years specialising in development finance. Quinn joins from Paragon…
Read moreTina McKenzie has been confirmed as Interim National Chair of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), as Martin McTague steps down from the National Chair role to become a member of the House of Lords. McKenzie has been part of FSB’s Board of Directors since 2021, and for the last four years has been National…
Read moreIndependent SME lender Time Finance has announced that it has strengthened its Invoice Finance Operations team with the appointment of Emma Caton as Relationship Manager. Caton joins Time Finance in its Invoice Finance North team with over 13 years’ experience in the industry, having previously held Relationship and Client Manager roles at RBS, HSBC, Bibby…
Read moreInvoice finance and asset-based SME lender eCapital UK,, has appointed Mark Finn as Group Managing Director. Finn brings more than 25 years’ experience in invoice finance, beginning his career at Barclays, then holding senior roles at Bank of Scotland, and later becoming Managing Director of one of the UK’s largest independent invoice finance providers. He…
Read moreBibby Financial Services (BFS) has announced the appointment of Oliver Batley as Head of Sales for its Asset Finance business, as it continues to expand its support for UK SMEs. Batley joins Bibby Asset Finance with nearly 14 years’ experience in asset finance. Most recently, he served as Area Sales Director at Lloyds Banking Group,…
Read moreThe ICAEW has warned that proposed UK reporting requirements for close companies could unfairly burden small businesses. The association says that under the new proposals, close companies will need to report details of transactions with participators to HMRC, placing a disproportionate administrative burden on compliant businesses, while doing little, if anything, to reduce the small…
Read more4.7 million businesses will be required to submit additional financial data to Companies House under major transparency reforms confirmed by the Government. From April 2028, small companies and micro-entities will be required to file profit and loss accounts with Companies House under changes introduced through the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act. The reforms are…
Read moreICAEW has announced that Caroline Smale has become its President for 2026/27. Smale succeeds Derek Blair and will remain President until June 2027. As President, Smale will support the implementation of the ICAEW strategy, Direction 2030, which focuses on equipping members with the skills for the future; upholding public trust and professional integrity; and building…
Read moreHampshire Trust Bank (HTB) has announced it has appointed Nick Clayton as Lending Director within its development finance division as the bank continues to expand its London and South East origination team. Clayton joins from Close Brothers Property Finance, where he spent more than a decade across a range of roles spanning origination, portfolio management…
Read moreTime Finance has announced it has appointed Claudia Ritchie as its new Compliance Manager. Ritchie brings over 8 years of experience in regulatory compliance, risk management, and governance within the financial services sector. In her new role, she will be responsible for overseeing the company’s compliance framework, ensuring adherence to regulatory requirements, and strengthening internal…
Read moreSpark Finance Group has announced the appointment of Simon Carter as Chief Commercial Officer. Carter will lead the group’s commercial function across its FCA-regulated brokerage, Spark Finance, and its technology business, Clover Technology. He joins from Investec, where he was co-head of Investec Capital Solutions, with co-head responsibility for the bank’s working capital book. He…
Read moreSME lender, GC Business Finance (GCBF) has appointed Aaron Malins as Director of Business Finance. Malins brings over two decades of experience across finance, lending and advisory. He previously served as CFO of a Manchester-based regulated consumer finance firm, as well as Managing Director of its lending division. In these roles, Aaron worked closely with…
Read moreNew business debt resolution company, Rezolva, has launched with the aim of helping businesses recover overdue invoices faster. Late payment remains a persistent challenge for businesses. More than half of firms experience delayed or frozen payments, placing pressure on working capital and limiting growth. Rezolva focuses on early debt resolution. The aim is to help…
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