"Whilst firms still face challenges, they are focussing on their business growth and we are here to facilitate that."
The appointment comes as Advantedge celebrate over two decades of funding SMEs with over £130m currently being used by firms to get themselves back on track and capitalise on the opportunities available to them.
James brings with him a wealth of experience with over two decades in commercial finance. Having started his career as a Barclays Bank manager, he then moved into sales-based roles within their invoice finance and corporate division before moving to Aldermore Bank where he spent three years structuring funding solutions for a range of clients. Prior to joining Advantedge, he had moved back to Barclays and spent nearly a decade supporting the SME sector working within the trade and working capital division and more latterly as a regional manager in Barclays Bank (UK) leading a team of relationship managers and directors providing funding solutions for businesses turning over up to £10m.
James commented: “I am delighted to be joining the team at Advantedge who believe that businesses based in the Midlands have a crucial role to play in driving the economy. With the mainstream lenders lacking the desire to support SMEs, I am determined to give them access to the funding solutions their business needs. I am passionate about the benefits that invoice finance can deliver as unlike other forms of finance, it is aligned to the real time performance of a business and can generate the cash required to drive growth. Advantedge are a breath of fresh air. Their commitment to delivering a locally based operation was attractive but their strong commercial perspective, access to large funding pools and a commitment to delivering a straightforward market leading service that meets clients’ expectations was impossible to ignore. With funding facilities available up to £2m I am looking forward to supporting Midland firms and their growth aspirations.”
David Tilling, CEO, added: “We are delighted that James has joined the team. He brings a solid reputation having worked with businesses in the region for his whole career. He has a deeply engrained ethos of delivering the best in client service and is the right person to drive on the next phase of our Midlands strategy. Whilst firms still face challenges, they are focussing on their business growth and we are here to facilitate that. Ensuring they have the funding available to make these plans happen is crucial if they are to continue to capitalise on the opportunities that arise.”
