Matt Lister joins the team at Corporate and Commercial Business Solutions Group. Michael Grahamslaw catches up with him shortly after his move.
Can you briefly outline your journey through business?
I started out in one of the high street banks, firstly working in their card acquiring division as a corporate account manager, before moving into commercial banking. That move was the first step into funding/ lending, working on a portfolio of trading business customers in a range of sectors and requirements. From there I moved into Invoice Finance with one of the independent providers and this came with a steep learning curve in a pretty full on environment. It was a rewarding experience in a challenging market, it was here that I developed good relationships with those that are now great contacts and friends. I moved to Anglo Scottish Asset Finance to develop their commercial finance side of the business. The learning curve was again steep, but it is genuinely amazing the breadth of options available for a client’s funding needs.
What attracted you to CCBSG?
It is a natural step to take following on from what I have been doing to this point. The funding market is constantly evolving, but there are wider opportunities to provide additional support to the business community, outside of simply the provision of funding. I will be working directly with existing and new clients, spotting potential opportunities to help. CCSBG is a young dynamic business and I look forward to taking the business on to the next level.
What services do they provide?
We’re a customer focused commercial finance brokerage and business consultancy, specialising in working capital solutions and growth. With a range of experience and access to extensive options we have the ability to support business at all stages. This month we have already completed on a working capital facility for a timber supplier, a business acquisition for a dental laboratory, purchase of subsea surveying equipment and invoice finance for a group of logistic companies. All businesses in completely different sectors and all based in the North East.
What will you bring to the role?
I strive to find solutions for customers that are appropriate and fit for purpose. I have built great relationships with loan and working capital funders who sit firmly in the alternative market, which is no longer emerging but maturing. My role will entail working with clients directly and through our network to find funding that works for them. That could be working capital, funding for growth, asset finance, and working closely with funders through to deal completion.
What’s your fondest career memory?
There isn’t one memory in particular, but the best moments are the ‘thank you’, the ‘well done’ or ‘that was a great shout’ from the people you deal with.
What motivates you?
Put simply doing a good job and being respected for the job I do.
Where do you see yourself in a year’s time?
I see CCBSG growing strongly, it always taken 6-12 months to get into a new role from experience. The market dictates this to some extent and factors such as Brexit bring untold (as yet) opportunities and challenges for the NE business community. We are here to assist in whichever way we can.
How do you like to unwind?
Outside of work it’s all the clichés, friend’s family are key, as is the season ticket at Newcastle. I’m a failed tennis player in so far as I don’t play anywhere near enough as I should do.
Source: https://www.northern-insight.co.uk/business/growth-corporate-commercial-business-solutions/
As the Festive period descends upon us it’s time to wish a very Merry Christmas to all of our clients, intermediaries, professionals and funders who have supported us throughout the year
2018 has been a phenomenal year of growth for Corporate and Commercial Business Solutions Group, with revenue up by over 100%, the team expanding with Matthew Lister joining the business to drive the commercial finance side forward, and our broader offering of consultancy and receivables management services arm really establishing themselves
2019 looks equally as exciting and it would be great to be here saying the same message in 12 months time, with some additional members of the team
We could not do this without the incredible support of our clients, the wider North East business community and our strategic partners and I would like to thank them and wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year
Hopefully we can get some time in the New Year to share with you all some of the key successes and highlights, but in the meantime enjoy a lovely family break
Well I can’t quite believe it has been two years since we launched. I am genuinely delighted to have been able to help a number of SME’s with funding their businesses, whether that be working capital, asset finance, short term secured finance, property finance or for acquisitions or MBO’s. However, over the latter part of 2016 there have been a number of instances where our remit has been wider than that. We have seen a growing requirement for a wider consultative service, where clients, amongst other things, need help with existing systems, for us to translate what their existing funders are looking for by way of financial information and more importantly why. Also how, as business owners they need to protect themselves from key risks. So going forward we will have 3 clear channels to our business Funding | Advisory | Investment Investment will be working with local entrepreneurs to identify and provide acquisition opportunities, and also equity opportunities back. We have rebranded the business and have a new website to communicate what Corporate & Commercial Business Solutions Group can provide for our clients
We hope you like the new branding. Please feel free to get in touch to discuss any of the points further
The leisure operator wants to double the number of its UK venues after growing sales by 20% in the last year.
North East bar operator Players Bars has announced plans to open three sites in major UK cities, creating 200 new jobs.
The firm, which already has Newcastle, Leeds, Sheffield and Birmingham venues within its business portfolio, plans to double the number of venues it operates.
The expansion news comes as Reward Finance Group has backed the firm’s acquisition of a new site, a move which also gives the business the vital capital to drive forward its future growth strategy.
Since first launching in 2006, Players Bars has seen huge growth with 2015 sales up by 20% on the previous year.
Now employing 240 people, it plans to almost double the workforce and create venues in three more cities within the next two years.
Jonathan Codona, director at Players Bars Investments, said: “For businesses within the hospitality sector, it can be a real challenge to gain the funding you need in the time frame you require it.
“Reward has been a breath of fresh air throughout this process as you are able to speak to the funders directly, resulting in us being able to complete the vital transaction in just two weeks.
“Players Bars is growing at a fast rate, and to maintain this momentum the support of Reward has been crucial.”
Peter Cromarty, business development director at Reward, said: “We’re delighted we’ve been able to help Players Bars with its expansion plans. It’s a thriving north eastern business and we look forward to following its exciting progress in the future.
“This is further evidence that there is funding available for SME businesses that can be provided quickly to allow business owners to take advantage of opportunities where traditional lenders would not be able to react quickly enough.
Abu Ali at Quantum Corporate Finance, who assisted the deal, said: “It has been great to work with Jonathan and Peter on this deal. It is a fantastic business and alongside Reward, the company has the ability to deliver a very exciting growth plan.”
Source: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/business/business-news/newcastles-players-bars-expand-three-10303632
The company, which provides heavy fabrications in carbon, stainless steel and aluminium along with site services to clients in the oil and gas, nuclear and high-end industrial sectors, will use the cash injection to improve its cash flow.
This will offer SBV a greater degree of stability, which it believes is “crucial” in the market in which it operates.
Samantha Condren, director of SBV Engineering, praised Secure Trust Bank for its work on securing the funding, adding that its previous lender was “unable to offer the breadth of facility” that met its requirements.
Lee Humble, regional sales director for the North East, said: “SBV operates across a diverse range of industries with a strong emphasis on the North East. We are delighted to be able to support the business going forward.”
Peter Cromarty, sales director of Anglo Scottish Commercial Finance, which facilitated the deal, added: “The main aim was to find the right funder that shared the vision of the management team. The business now has the facility to move forward and Secure Trust Bank has a progressive and committed client in the North East.”
The company, which employs 155 staff, is forecast to achieve turnover of £7m in the year to November 2015.
In a business environment that now requires much more than the traditional forms of funding that were previously available to them, companies need to consider all available options to get the correct fit for their particular situation.
However, this is not always easy. The finance world has changed dramatically in the past few years, with banks having tighter credit policies and the advent of a new phenomenon – crowd funding.
Fortunately, there is ‘credit appetite’ from lenders who are keen to assist, but companies must know where to look and how to put a proposition to them.
Having worked for major financial institutions for the past 25 years, I felt that the time was right to establish a unique funding solution proposition in the North East. Corporate and Commercial Funding Solutions’ (CCFS) bespoke service starts with a visit to the prospective client to gather relevant information and follows on with informed discussions with lenders in order to find the right solution for the client’s needs. This eliminates the need to conduct a ‘beauty parade’ of lenders for the client that is extremely time consuming and ultimately confusing.
To accomplish this, CCFS collaborates with two strong and innovative funding partners – Anglo Scottish Finance and Reward Finance Group.
Anglo Scottish Finance is one of the UK’s leading asset finance brokerage firms, with a broad range of funders in the following areas:
- Asset Finance
- Invoice Finance
- Refinance
- Property Finance
- Crowd Funding
- Business Loans
Having traditionally focused on asset and dealer support finance with a range of major lenders, niche funders, and ‘own book’ solutions, Anglo Scottish Finance is keen to develop their Commercial Finance division. This provides a genuine ‘one stop shop’ offering to SME businesses and their business advisors.
Reward Finance Group is a secured business lender with a difference. Run by Dave Jones and Tom Flannery, they have more than 60 years experience in banking and asset based lending.
Backed with strong funding lines, Reward Finance Group extends short-term finance to businesses that need it, in a quick and efficient manner. Secured funding lines are between £50K and £2M and are provided to businesses directly as a direct injection of cash, in conjunction with their business advisors, or to other funders to provide additional funding that can assist deal completion.
As well as short term ‘bridging’ facilities, Reward Finance Group provide innovative receivables funding solutions where a more creative facility is required, and now a new trade finance proposition through their invoice and trade finance divisions.
This combination of strong funding solutions with a professional and credible personal approach will prove extremely useful to the SME business and the advisory community in the region.
If you or your clients have a funding requirement or would like to know more about any of the above, then please contact Peter Cromarty on 07715 409386 or on the contact details below.
You can contact me on 07715 409386 or email me directly at marketing@ccfundingsolutions.com. Alternatively, you can fill out the contact form
Leeds-based Reward is to increase the level of funds it has available to lend to businesses following a standout performance in 2014.
The Yorkshire-headquartered lender will have a further £5m to provide to small and medium-sized enterprises either through its short-term asset-backed funder Reward Capital, or the longer term invoice finance provider Reward Commercial Finance.
Christo Wiese, the South African billionaire chairman of Reward’s main backer, Tradehold, has given the green light for Reward’s war chest to be significantly boosted, taking its total funds to lend to £25m.
The decision follows a record year for Reward which completed 70 transactions in 2014, with 25 being completed in the last quarter alone.
This included Reward’s largest deal to date which saw it advance £1.8m in the week before Christmas to a Scunthorpe-based logistics company looking to purchase the premises it currently rented.
The landlord was offering a substantial discount for a pre-Christmas completion on which Reward was able to complete a deal within seven days of initial enquiry.
Reward also expanded its service and reach in 2014 with the launch of an office in Manchester and the recruitment of experienced financiers Neil McGivern and Calvin Dexter. Industry expert Peter Cromarty has also recently joined the Reward team in order to expand coverage into the North East.
Dave Jones and Tom Flannery, the two partners that run Reward, have plans for further expansion in 2015. The launch of a trade finance arm, new premises, the availability of cheaper and longer term funding, and more recruits for both Leeds and Manchester, are already in the offing.
Jones said: “We continue to provide a viable funding alternative for SMEs, enabling them to maximise opportunities that they may otherwise miss out on, often where speed of turnaround is critical.”
Tradehold is an investment holding company listed on the main board of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.