Shawbrook also said it was 'delighted' to announce a strategic acquisition for the bank – the asset-based lender Centric Commercial Finance from Cabot Square Capital LLP. Centric’s range of lending services to the small business marketplace will enable Shawbrook to extend its offer for credit-worthy SMEs seeking finance to grow and expand.
The challenger bank's total lending as of 31st December 2013 was £1.4bn - its commercial property lending grew by 170% to £541m, its asset finance grew by 28% to £447m and its secured lending by 81% to £295m. It lent over £700m to SMEs in 2013.
Richard Pyman, CEO of Shawbrook Bank, said:
“2013 was a pivotal year for Shawbrook. Our specialist lending teams have focused on delivering a quality service with an unwavering emphasis on human underwriting and simple, straightforward processes. Our financial intermediaries have been the cornerstone of this work and will continue to be our most important lending channel. The result of this collaboration is outstanding organic growth across the business in 2013, and a significant rise in SME lending. We are in excellent shape for future growth in 2014 and beyond.
“The acquisition of Centric Commercial Finance is an exciting strategic move for Shawbrook. We can now offer SMEs a broader range of funding services to support their growth aspirations, and the move will enable Shawbrook to become an even more prominent business lending bank. Centric’s dedication to traditional customer service and tailored lending solutions fits very nicely with our own, and we have ambitious plans to grow the business under Shawbrook this year.”
