
NACFB Funding Future Growth – Supporting brokers across London & the South East
Join us in London
Does your firm source finance for SME clients in London or the South East? Or are you looking to expand your brokerage’s reach in this region? Whether you’re an experienced operator or just seeking to learn more, the NACFB’s first Funding Future Growth event of 2025, held at London’s RSA House, is for you.
Spaces are limited to ensure that meaningful connections are made, and brokers are encouraged to register early to secure their spot. Booking priority is given to NACFB Member brokers. Please note, this is a broker-only event. Any NACFB lender Patrons interested in attending in a sponsorship capacity are asked to contact the events team.
What to expect…
Free for brokers to attend, including lunch and refreshments, the event brings together commercial intermediaries, lenders, suppliers and leading national trade bodies to explore growth opportunities for small businesses throughout London. Here’s what you can expect from the session:
Agenda
10:00 – Registration and networking
Tea and coffee to be served
10:45 – Key address from the NACFB
With Jim Higginbotham
NACFB CEO Jim Higginbotham will kick off the session with an update on the Association’s 2024 survey. He will also share insights into our ongoing activities, key focuses, horizon planning and the central topics currently impacting the commercial finance community.
11:00 – Compliance and regulation update
With Sarah Cunningham
Sarah Cunningham, the NACFB’s head of compliance, will update the room on current regulation including guidance around commission disclosure and any further compliance updates affecting brokers and lenders in the room. This provides an opportunity to ask any questions and keep up to date on current affairs
11:15 – Discussion and debate
Jim Higginbotham, CEO of the NACFB, will host a small panel of experts who will share regional insights. The panel session will feature Dave Furnival from NatWest, Matthew Jaffa from the Federation of Small Businesses, Jennifer Tankard from UK Finance and Evette Orams from Hilton Baird Financial Solutions. Crucial to sourcing appropriate funding solutions, brokers will be encouraged to participate, so come with questions!
11:45 – NACFB Partner session
Delegates will gain insight from Josh Harris, CEO and founder of NACFB Partner Doc2.
12:00 – Lenders and suppliers
Representatives from selected lender Patrons will also be in attendance. Chosen for the value they add to the modern commercial finance broker, there will be plenty of time to meet and learn about their offerings. The lenders are particularly keen to find out more about your clients’ funding requirements, so do bring potential deals with you to chat through on the day.
12:15 – Lunch and a listening ear
Lunch is served. A further opportunity to network with brokers, panel experts and members of the NACFB team.
13:00 – Event concludes
Speakers
-
Dave FurnivalHead of Broker and Intermediary Services, C&I - NatWest
-
Evette OramsManaging Director - Hilton Baird Financial Solutions
Evette Orams leads Hilton-Baird Financial Solutions, a multi-award-winning commercial finance brokerage specialising in invoice finance. Known for her strategic leadership and operational expertise, Evette has built strong partnerships with financiers and mentored high-performing teams, establishing Hilton-Baird as a trusted industry leader. Her commitment to advancing industry standards and best practices makes her an invaluable addition to the NACFB board, which she has recently joined as an NED.
-
Jennifer TankardPrincipal, Commercial Finance - UK Finance
Jennifer Tankard, Principal, Commercial Finance, leads on policy and advocacy issues in relation to access to finance for SMEs, including Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) issues, supporting underserved markets and sector specific issues.
-
Jim HigginbothamCEO - NACFB
Jim Higginbotham, the newly appointed CEO of the NACFB, brings over 30 years of commercial finance expertise to the role. Most recently Group CEO at STAR Asset Finance, Jim led transformative growth, centralised operations, and reinforced risk management. His senior roles at Lombard, Barclays, and GE Capital have given him a broad industry perspective. Jim is dedicated to strengthening NACFB’s support for its Members and Patrons while championing professionalism and high standards across the UK’s commercial finance sector.
-
Josh HarrisCEO and Founder - Doc2
Josh Harris, CEO and founder of Doc2, is dedicated to streamlining document workflows for finance businesses. A Chartered Accountant who trained at EY, he experienced firsthand the inefficiencies in document processes. This led him to launch Doc2 in 2019, making document generation, issuance, and signing seamless.
-
Matthew JaffaSenior External Affairs Manager - Federation of Small Businesses
Matthew is the FSB’s External Affairs lead for London. He is the main London spokesperson and leads on London policy issues affecting small businesses. He also worked in the national policy team working on education and skills, and transport policy.
Prior to working at the FSB, Matthew worked in the Cabinet Office in the Better Regulation Executive and the Strategy Unit, where he was a researcher on various strategic projects.
-
Sarah CunninghamHead of Compliance - NACFB
Sarah Cunningham, Head of Compliance and Assurance at the NACFB, Sarah has worked in Compliance for both lenders and brokers.