Issue 3 2019

CORPORATE VISION / Issue 3 2019 9 , Dec18345 The leading UK business finance provider receives the 2019 title following a period of continuing growth. Established in 1996, to date the finance provider has helped over 30,000 business access adaptable and flexible support packages quickly and easily. Changes to its senior management team within the same period, during which incoming CEO Mark Catton took the helm from HHF founders Howard Ross and Mark Crook, were also accompanied by significant appointments being made within the company’s sales, marketing, compliance, finance, customer service and HR teams. Chief Operating Officer Anne Williams also joined the company in 2017 as one of those heading up the ‘new look’ Henry Howard Finance, which achieved record growth in both 2017 and 2018. Here, Anne provides an insight into the inner workings of the award-winning firm. Anne said: “With two decades of experience, we know every company’s need are different, which is why our adaptable and flexible finance has helped so Most Outstanding Independent SME Finance Provider of the Year 2019 – UK Henry Howard Finance has been named the Most Outstanding Independent SME Finance Provider of the Year for the second year running. many UK businesses. Via our Asset Finance Channel, SMEs of all sizes can access competitive rates to support the purchase of vehicles, industrial machinery, printers, civil engineering, construction equipment and more. “Our online tool, HowApp, enables HHF customers supplying this kind of equipment to businesses obtain a credit decision and a finance agreement quickly and simply via our Vendor Finance channel. Shop owners big and small also have our Retail Finance packages at their fingertips to support the cost of shop refits, new assets and more, with HHF now one of the largest independent finance providers for the convenience store sector in the UK. “Our customer-led approach also means every client receives a personal and highly bespoke service, with bigger banks often taking a less personal service approach and imposing stricter lending criteria. “HHF recently received a second £51m tranche of funding from the British Business Bank, the UK government-owned economic development bank, on top of an existing £51m asset finance facility granted in 2016. This has allowed us to extend our leasing and asset finance offering to an even larger portfolio of UK SMEs, and also gives us the ability to fast-track our own-book lending following an additional £25m deal with Cabot Square Capital in 2014. “This means we can provide capital quickly and easily compared to more traditional lenders and finance a wider portfolio of businesses in a growing number of sectors’. “HHF has a 130 strong workforce who all have a ‘can do’ attitude and a drive to deliver the best, employing driven and confident people keen to succeed is the key to our success. “With our own lending book now approaching £100m, the door is most definitely open for alternative lenders like HHF. Our investment in good people and market-leading technology has seen HHF achieve record-breaking results, and also enabled us to support more small business than ever to achieve their own goals. “We are delighted to have been named Outstanding Finance Provider of the Year for a second year running and look forward to what the next 12 months has in store for our company, and beyond.” Company: Henry Howard Finance Group Telephone: 01633 415222 Email: [email protected] Website: www.henryhowardfinance.co.uk