Meet the team: Michael Horner

Avatar of Michael Horner wearing water polo hat

What is your role at CCBS and how did you get here?
I’ve just joined CCBS Group as Business Development Director after 20 years in finance including Bibby Financial Services, Shawbrook Bank and most recently Allica Bank. I’ve worked with some of the CCBS team previously so it’s great to be reunited!

Which desk were you hoping to get?
One by the window but I’m not holding my breath, ha!

What will a typical day look like for you at CCBS?
I’m expecting a lot of variety day-to-day but initially lots of getting out to catch up with the local business community, spreading the word about how we can help them to secure finance to help them take their next steps.

How do you take your tea?
I’m a coffee man (or beer!).

If you weren’t Business Development Director at CCBS, what other job would like to be doing? I’ve wanted to be something to do with movies since I was little – ideally on the writing or directing side as I loved movies as a kid. I remember a careers day at school when the computer system calculated my perfect job would be a fence erector – but I’m terrible at DIY so it’s a good job I had a head for finance instead!

What do you do in your spare time?
I have two young children so I don’t have spare time! No it’s great really – my kids have an incredibly full calendar so I find myself at football and dance practices and competitions all the time – and I genuinely love it. Grassroots sports is so important in my view and I get as much out of supporting them as my kids do from participating. I really like that CCBS Group really buy into this too and have their own grassroots sponsorship program to support local clubs.

Have you ever played a sport naked?
Not intentionally but I have had my shorts pulled off during a particularly aggressive water polo game on holiday once.

Meet up with Michael for a coffee (or a beer) and get to know more about his expertise and how he could help you take your next steps by emailing him at michael@ccbsg.co.uk.

We’re very pleased to announce that we have appointed Michael Horner as Business Development Director to further bolster support for North East business community.

Peter Cromarty, Managing Director at CCBS Group, said of the appointment:

“Michael will be an incredibly valuable addition to CCBS, complementing the team’s skills and expertise, whilst bringing new experiences and ideas from his time in commercial mortgages, broker management and asset-based lending over the last two decades. His appointment is part of our wider strategy to expand the support available to SMEs across the North East from Northumberland to Teesside this year, which has also seen us open a new office in Stockton to increase our availability to businesses in the south of the region.

Michael has enjoyed a 20-year career in finance, including senior roles at Bibby Financial Services, Shawbrook Bank and most recently Allica Bank. He said:

“Securing finance has been difficult for SMEs and the last turbulent four or five years has not made this any easier. CCBS Group has the knowledge and experience to make this a lot simpler for local businesses and I’m looking forward to being a part of this. My role will be to spread the word, let the local business community know we’re here and to provide tailored solutions to help them with their next steps.”

Peter added:

“We’re looking forward to celebrating Michael’s arrival at CCBS and our tenth anniversary supporting businesses in the North East this autumn with some exciting events. Our door is always open – in Newcastle and Stockton – so feel free pop in and get to know Michael and the rest of the team anytime.”

One of the lesser known solutions in the working capital space is the specialist lending available to fund tax obligations.

The market has developed tools to assist businesses with funding different tax scenarios and the use of these different solutions is becoming more widespread as lenders refine their products. The important thing to understand is these products are very proactive; typically clients looking at this type of funding to support working capital would look to engage well ahead of time, to fund current and upcoming tax obligations.

You can find out more about the different solutions on our Working Capital page (scroll to the end). Below are two different tax-related deals we’ve completed for client recently – if you would like to hear more about these or would like to discuss your own situation, get in touch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Avatar of Matt from the CCBS team dressed as a painter and decoratorWhat is your role at CCBS and how did you get here?
I’m Operations Director, and my role has changed over the years at CCBS. I was the first member of the team to come in following Peter forming the business. Having worked in commercial banking and invoice finance across a number of years I took the leap over the fence into intermediary side, working with Peter initially for a national asset finance network. The learning curve was steep and working with a much wider range of clients than I had previously. To try and hit the ground running I built relationships quickly with different lenders. This network and knowledge is what I brought into CCBS almost six years ago and I continue to build and develop it. It’s hard to believe I have been here for this long, a lot has changed professionally and personally. We’ve changed a lot as a business, grown the team, developed into a far wider offering and certainly nowhere near finished!

What is your specialism in the team?
More important than specialisms, our work is all about the relationships we have. I feel like the understanding I have built across a range of different lending products sets CCBS apart. Things are always changing and it’s critical that we keep up to date – indeed, where we work with the same client their circumstances do change over time, and we have to adapt our approach. Assimilating the essence of what the client is looking for, where they’re at in terms of trading to match against funders with appetite to support is integral. It’s a consultative approach on both sides of this which is a huge driver this us.

What is a typical day like for you at CCBS?
I’m normally the one in the office early doors! I have always been an early bird. We’re a communal business and we do work really closely together so we rely heavily on being in and around one another in the office. It’s no cliché to say no day or week or month is ever the same – the variety of services we provide is testament to that. A lot of what I do on a daily basis is keeping things moving forward, talking with lenders, talking about different options and then finding ways to use them in practice.

What do you do in your spare time?
Outside of the day-to-day I have played tennis from a young age, albeit not as often as I’d like, getting back into this is a focus this year for me. I’ve had a season ticket at Newcastle for a number of years, and there’s routine to a match day, a rhythm that I really enjoy, same pubs, same route up to the ground, the lads I go with think I’m stupid! I probably am, but it keeps me happy!  On top of that, we bought a house two years ago so we’re in the middle of renovating and upgrading the house, in and amongst walking the Northumberland Coast with the newest addition the family Lilly half Border Collie, half Labrador.

If you weren’t Operations Director at CCBS, what other job would like to be doing?
From doing my A Levels I wanted to work in finance and for a time I had aspirations to be a stockbroker but soon came to realise that it wasn’t right for me. That intrigue into the workings of the economy took me into the bank and financial services. That said having bought a new house which is definitely in the category of a ‘doer upper’ I’ve found I really like painting and decorating. In fact I painted the wall in the CCBS office as I had all the gear. It’s pretty boring, but I find it relaxing – headphones in and just leave me to it. Everyone needs a painter and decorator right?! “MJ Decorators” – I could even fund my own van!

We have opened our first office in Tees Valley, highlighting our commitment to supporting SMEs in the region.

The new office at Hastings House in Stockton will provide a base for our team to support clients in Tees Valley and Durham and is in addition to our office in Newcastle-upon-Tyne where we started the business nearly 10 years ago. Peter Cromarty, our Managing Director, said:

“This year we’ve made a commitment to Tees Valley so we can support businesses as they navigate the opportunities and challenges in the region like the Teesworks development, the Freeport and upcoming mayoral and national elections which may change the landscape yet again.

“We’ve seen a rise in business owners needing support with working capital so that they can capitalise on the opportunities on their doorsteps but we’re also seeing SMEs with very complex financial situations who need specialist support to take their next steps. We’re looking forward to getting to know our new neighbours and building strong relationships with both existing and new clients and intermediaries south of the region – so if you’re in the area, our door’s always open for a chat and cuppa.”

The new office is located at Hastings House, 5 Falcon Court, Preston Farm, Stockton on Tees, TS18 3TS.

What is your role at CCBS and how did you get here?
I’ve led the marketing at CCBS since 2019, after a varied B2B/B2C marketing career in-house and agency side including at St Oswald’s Hospice and Different Narrative. I work across event preparation, email marketing, case studies and PR, website and social comms and advertising and sponsorships, bringing the team’s ideas to life and making sure there is an avatar for every occasion!

What is a typical day like for you at CCBS?
A typical day in the office starts with a catch-up with the team and a strong Yorkshire Tea, then we get stuck into the current projects – this could be anything from writing new case studies and blogs, liaising with partners for content, planning animation storyboards or updating the website. We have a great structured approach which aligns to our audiences, but with wiggle room for a bit of fun too. I learn so much working with everyone and their specialisms – it’s a really close, supportive team and part of my job is to make sure our clients, intermediaries and prospects see the real CCBS; the expertise, the integrity and the dedication to getting the best solutions for each individual situation.

What do you do in your spare time?
I am a super keen gardener in my spare time and study at college one day a week for my RHS qualifications. Not sure what I’ll do with it but I’ve met some great people and learned so many new skills. I am also training for the Darlington 10k  – I haven’t run since the 2012 Great North Run when I swore I’d never run again – but I’ll be fundraising for CALM which is a good reason to get my trainers on again (if you’d like to sponsor the team, please donate here!).

If you weren’t working at CCBS, what other job would you like to be doing?
There are so many things I’d like to try! I’d like to write a biography of someone unheard of, maybe work in a botanical garden, have a small holding with some llamas, run a bookshop which is also a cocktail bar…the list is so long! Maybe I can combine some of them…

What is your role at CCBS and how did you get here?
My career prior to joining CCBS was spent in ABL and Trade Finance. I originally started on a graduate scheme with an independent organisation, before moving into banking. The fast-paced, results-oriented world of the independent space coupled with the exposure to larger, more complex funding structures in banking put me in good stead for CCBS.

What is your specialism in the team?
My role within the business is to plan and implement the business development strategy, however, much like the rest of the team, most of my time is spent working with clients, intermediaries and funders, providing funding solutions and structuring finance facilities.

What is a typical day like for you at CCBS?
There is no typical day at CCBS. Although we all work from the office as much as possible, we’re regularly out meeting clients, funders and intermediaries. When we’re in the office we’re typically writing credit proposals or negotiating with funders to get the best possible outcome for our clients. The rest of the time is spent rotating the many plants around the office and arguing over the temperature.

What do you do in your spare time?
Spare time, what’s that!? I have a toddler so she takes up 99% of it, however, I do like to squeeze in the odd gig, game of football or afternoon in the pub if the opportunity presents itself.

Have you ever played football naked?
No.

If you weren’t working at CCBS, what other job would you like to be doing?
As a kid I was fascinated with history and always wanted to be an archaeologist. I imagined a life like Indiana Jones, travelling the world and discovering hidden tombs however, as part of my A-Level History course we spent a day at a local dig, which, let’s just say did not live up to expectations. The pace was so slow that banking and finance suddenly became an exciting alternative. I’d still love to do it as a career though.

Our Christmas elves have appeared! Find out who likes sprouts, who’s hoping for a diamond under the tree and who’s favourite tune is Shakin’ Stevens on our LinkedIn Page.

Find out your elf name at: What’s Your Elf Name? – Elf Name Generator 2023 (christmascountdown.uk)

Are you worried about your current or upcoming tax obligations? If so, specialist lending to cover tax obligations may be the working capital solution for you and your business – and CCBS Group can help. You might not be familiar with it yet, but tax funding is becoming an increasingly popular option for businesses, with lenders developing tools and refining their products to ease the burden of untimely tax bills.

Let’s take a closer look at the tax funding solutions we can offer:

VAT Funding

VAT Loans are short-term loans specifically designed to cover VAT liabilities, providing you with the necessary funds to meet your VAT obligations on time, typically in 2 or 3 capital payments.

VAT Bridging Finance is used to bridge the gap between a business incurring a VAT expense and subsequently reclaiming it, often in property transactions with a VAT liability as part of the purchase. The lender funds the VAT payment to HMRC and directly receives the proceeds of the VAT claim.

 

R&D Tax Funding

The R&D Tax Relief scheme offers tax for companies engaging in research and development. However, your company might still require funding to cover your R&D expenses. One option to consider is R&D Tax Credit Advance, which is an advance loan against your expected R&D tax credit refund. Repayment goes directly to the lender who would then distribute any proceeds after deduction of interest and fees.

We recently helped a well-established automotive business who had been impacted by COVID-19 and the subsequent supply chain issues by providing them with a £300,000 R&D Tax Bridging Loan. The funding was made available in 14 days and the client was delighted to have obtained additional headroom in facilities, particularly in such challenging trading conditions.

 

Corporation Tax Funding

Similar to VAT, you might face challenges in managing your Corporation Tax payments, especially if you have irregular or seasonal cash flows. Corporation Tax Loans can help you to meet your Corporation Tax obligations and are often structured to align with your company’s tax payment schedule over 12 monthly payments or less.


Chat to us today

It’s important to note that if you’re looking at this type of funding, it’s best to engage well ahead of time. So, get in touch with CCBS Group today – we’re here to help take the stress out of your tax obligations and give you honest, straightforward advice about the best funding options for you and your business.

Liam Kane is the MD and owner of TAB and has over 30 years’ experience working with SMEs across the UK. He has been facilitating Peer Advisory Boards in the North East since 2021, and is a qualified Executive Coach passionate about supporting local business leaders. He tell us all about the benefits of having an alternative board in our latest blog…

As a business owner do you ever feel like you have no one to talk to about the issues that you are facing in your business?  I suspect the answer to that question may well be yes and in those circumstances what do you do?

Help and support may well be at hand via The Alternative Board.  To give you some background, at The Alternative Board (TAB) we have cultivated a thriving community of forward-thinking business leaders who share collective wisdom and inspiration to radically improve performance in ways that change their lives.

For over 30 years, we have been helping leaders and their teams improve their business and change their lives. We do this in a couple of ways:

1. Peer Advisory Boards

As a business leader, all too often the big decisions fall to you and you alone, but it doesn’t have to be like that. Each month a small number of like-minded leaders meet to help one another make better and faster decisions.

But the boards are a lot more than that…

2. Business Coaching

Private one-to-one coaching sessions to give you renewed clarity, keep you accountable to achieve your goals and become an even more successful leader, allowing you to live the life you work for. Feedback from clients in the Northeast reinforces the value in working alongside a coach who’ll:

 

3. Gain Accountability, Expertise and Momentum

Joining TAB means joining other busy entrepreneurs committed to giving and receiving the candid guidance that can only come from peers following the same path. Tap into the power of like-minded leaders, leverage global membership insights, run your business more strategically and outpace your competitors. For more information, contact me, Liam Kane, on 07368 534427 or lkane@thealternativeboard.co.uk.