"He will be a great asset in helping to shape our proposition as we increase our lending to small businesses"
He joins from Allica Bank, where he was also head of credit, and brings with him experience gained from 28 years in the industry, which includes roles at lenders including Lloyds Banking Group and Allied Irish Bank.
Recognise currently offers a range of unregulated lending options including commercial mortgages, bridging loans, working capital loans and professional practice loans, with professional buy-to-let mortgages to follow soon.
Recognise recently announced a successful £14 million capital raise which will pave the way for the removal of deposit restrictions by the PRA, allowing it to offer personal and business savings accounts, which in turn will enable Recognise to provide more lending to the SME sector.
Gavin said: “I’m delighted to be joining Recognise Bank. Its focus on building real personal relationships with SMEs completely aligns with my views on how best to support the small business sector. Every business is different, so it’s vital that lenders have people with experience of SMEs to understand both their challenges and their opportunities.
“This an exciting time in the Bank’s development, but also a great opportunity for Recognise to support UK entrepreneurs and companies looking for finance to help them grow.”
Mark Bampton, chief credit officer for Recognise Bank, said: “The UK’s SMEs are poorly served because so many of the mainstream banks have automated their lending and removed the people with real expert knowledge of business sectors and their financial needs.
“In Gavin we have somebody with a huge amount of experience of lending to the SME sector and a great understanding of what makes them tick. He will be a great asset in helping to shape our proposition as we increase our lending to small businesses by developing strong relationships with business owners and truly understanding their business.”
