Lloyds Bank has bolstered its asset-based lending offering to mid-market South West firms with the appointment of Kelly Henney as director, business development.
Kelly, pictured, joins the bank’s global transaction banking division after 16 years at RBS, where she originated and completed new business opportunities for ambitious small and medium-sized firms. 
She will be working closely with Bristol-based mid-market development director Chris Coleman to provide funding to new and existing clients turning over £25m-plus.
These include invoice finance and asset-based lending. By utilising its trade finance expertise, the bank can fund all aspects of the working capital cycle for businesses whether they operate only in the domestic market or are importers, or exporters.
Recent figures from the Asset Based Finance Association (ABFA) show a 4% year-on-year increase in this form of finance with a record £20bn lent to UK and Irish SMEs last year.
Kelly, who is based in Birmingham, joins the 20-strong trade and working capital team led by regional head Mark Parsons, who said: “Kelly understands the type of product solutions that businesses need to accelerate their domestic and international growth.
“She complements our team well and her appointment is part of our on-going strategy to strengthen the support and experience we can offer clients, which has seen the team grow by a third since the beginning of the year.”
Kelly added: “I am pleased to join a dynamic and forward-thinking team that places the needs of its clients above everything else, so it can deliver a high-quality service and help build the region’s economy further.
“Using asset-based finance to unlock working capital is a flexible, speedy solution that can help businesses expand into new markets, and I am looking forward to working with the region’s ambitious mid-market firms to help accelerate their growth strategies.”
