Appointments

ThinCats, Adsum and Conveyancing Association announce new hires




ThinCats, Adsum Finance and the Conveyancing Association have welcomed new members to their teams.

ThinCats

ThinCats has appointed Steve Ford as a relationship director to manage the borrower relationship team.

Steve — who has 23 years of corporate banking experience, including 14 years in relationship management — joins the company from RBS, where he most recently worked as a corporate banking director.

His risk management skills have been developed in the SME marketplace, where he has built strong relationships with customers and stakeholders.

“From a distance, I have seen the positive impact that ThinCats is having in supporting mid-sized businesses, taking a pragmatic approach to truly understanding management teams and helping assist their growth aspirations,” said Steve.

“I see this role as an important opportunity to continue the ThinCats evolution, proving a sound platform for relationship management.”

Mike Hackett, head of sales at ThinCats, added: “I have worked with Steve in the past and I know that his strengths lie firmly in relationship management.  

“He is an incredibly experienced addition to the team and will enable us to continue to develop the support package that we offer to our borrowers.”

Adsum Finance

Adsum Finance has appointed Mike Underwood as head of origination. 

In his new role, Mike will be responsible for driving Adsum’s growth strategy, both expanding its origination team and leading its marketing platform.

Prior to joining Adsum, Mike held positions at various companies, including Bridging Vat, Hampton Global Consultancy and What Group Limited.

Mike commented: “I am delighted to be joining Adsum at this time of tremendous growth and innovation in the financial marketplace. 

“Adsum’s culture and uncompromising approach to customer service is a primary factor in their success, and this positions us well to address the estimated £22bn SME funding gap identified by the Bank of England.”

Justina Tartilaite, CEO at Adsum, stated: “Mike brings best-in-class industry knowledge and I am extremely excited to have him join our senior team. 

“We are witnessing a fundamental shift in the SME finance market, with huge demand for working capital coupled with a dysfunctional high street banking model that is no longer able to provide for this largely underserved market segment. 

“As we continue to grow our client base, our tech-driven approach to data analytics and loan processing becomes ever more powerful with our customers and partners reaping the benefits of speedy and cost-efficient access to working capital."

The specialist lender provides UK tax receivables financing, offering working capital and bridging loans secured against HMRC tax refunds.

Conveyancing Association

The Conveyancing Association (CA) has welcomed Nicky Heathcote as a non-executive chair, taking over Paul Smee with immediate effect.

Nicky — who has over 30 years of experience in the public sector — will lead the executive, which is responsible for the day-to-day management of the CA.

She will also chair the association’s policy and strategy board, which is responsible for dealing with consultation papers, the admittance of new members across the various categories, producing plans for its future and providing a clearly defined remit for the executive.

She will help drive the CA’s various workstreams around the improvement of the home buying and selling process, and ensuring the association is fully represented with all stakeholders and interested parties.

In addition to her role at the CA, Nicky has a portfolio of non-executive positions, including chair of Propertymark, chair of the PCCB compliance committee within the Code of Property Search Organisations (COPSO) and is an ambassador for NEDonBoard.

Throughout her career, Nicky has led several complex strategic reviews, working on cross-government agendas including housing, data transparency, counter fraud, anti-corruption, devolution, asset sales, international development and safer gambling. 

“I am very pleased to be joining the CA at what is obviously a challenging time for the conveyancing profession, after the most unprecedented year,” said Nicky.

“Paul has steered the ship remarkably well during his tenure and I know his hard work has been appreciated by the executive and members alike. 

“It’s my aim to carry on in the same manner, to help the CA support its members, to reassert our goals and ambitions and to work with all stakeholders to help create the very best environment for the profession to excel.”

Beth Rudolf, director of delivery at the CA, commented: “The association has scored some notable successes in the last three years and we are welcoming Nicky on board to take us onto the next level, particularly with regard to the solutions we are proposing to improve the home buying and selling process. 

“There is still some way to go, but Nicky has the expertise and the experience not just to ensure the CA is fit for purpose and providing real value to our members, but to ensure we get the best process possible for all stakeholders.” 

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