NACFB Funding Future Growth – Supporting brokers across Wales
Join us in Cardiff
Does your firm source finance solutions for clients in Wales? Or are you looking to expand your brokerage’s reach in the region? Whether you’re an experienced operator or just seeking to learn more, the NACFB’s first Funding Future Growth event of the year at the Parkgate Hotel, Cardiff could be for you.
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 Wales. Here’s what you can expect from the session:
Agenda
10:00 – Registration & networking
Tea, coffee to be served
10:50 – Welcome & NACFB Survey insights
With Norman Chambers
In 2023 NACFB Member brokers facilitated £38 billion in lending to SMEs across the UK – a fall of 16% compared to the year before. What does this mean for brokers and their clients, including those in Wales, and where is the market heading in 2024 and beyond? NACFB managing director, Norman Chambers, shares key insights from the largest survey in the intermediary-led commercial finance sector.
11:00 – Expert panel session and Q&A
Nicholas Murphy, the NACFB’s Head of Engagement will host a small panel of experts who will share regional insights on both the challenges and opportunities for small businesses in Wales, and the finance they need to survive and thrive.
Specifically, you’ll hear from James Jeffreys of UK Finance and Ben Cottam of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) as well as Bethan Cousins from the Development Bank of Wales and Haydn Thomas of NACFB Member firm Cornerstone Finance Group. Crucial to sourcing appropriate funding solutions, brokers will be encouraged to participate, so come armed with questions!
11:30 – NACFB Partner: Red Flag Alert
Presentation by Richard West, managing director at Red Flag Alert
Growth Propensity Modelling – How to identify businesses that will go on to grow (spatial and sectoral across Wales) over the next 12 months VS using backwards-looking financial metrics to identify legacy growth.
Growth is everywhere and Red Flag Alert helps you find it.
11:45 – Meet the lenders
Representatives from lender Patrons including NatWest, Allica Bank, Asset Advantage, Atelier, Credit4, Development Bank of Wales, Market Financial Solutions (MFS), Reward Finance Group, Shawbrook, and Signature Property Finance will be attending. 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.
12:00 – Lunch & a listening ear
Lunch is served. A member of the NACFB team will be on hand to help with any regulatory issues you may have. They can also walk you through the latest FCA developments and directives affecting commercial finance brokers.
13:00 – Close
Speakers
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Ben CottamHead of Wales/Pennaeth Cymru, Federation of Small Businesses (FSB)Ben leads the FSB team in Wales and represents 10,000 business members. The organisation is a leading voice on a number of issues relating to the economy including entrepreneurship, self-employment, business support and growth and infrastructure.
In this role, Ben is active in a wide range of conversations about the development of the Welsh economy and is a frequent contributor to media. He also chairs and sits on a number of boards throughout Wales including the Strategic Board for Business Wales – the Welsh Government’s business support function, The Secretary of State for Wales’ Business Advisory Board the Council for Economic Development and the Superfast Broadband Exploitation Advisory Group.
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Bethan CousinsNew Investment Director, Development Bank of Wales (Banc) -
Haydn ThomasChief Commercial Officer, Cornerstone Finance Group -
James JeffreysPrincipal - Commercial Finance, UK FinanceJames Jeffreys joined UK Finance in 2022 and is now Principal, Commercial Finance. Previously he held positions at R3 Association of Business Recovery Professionals.
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Nicholas MurphyHead of Membership, NACFB -
Norman ChambersManaging Director, NACFBNorman Chambers is the managing director of the National Association of Commercial Finance Brokers (NACFB), the largest independent trade body for intermediaries in the UK commercial finance industry. Joining in 2014, he has been instrumental in the Association’s strategic growth. Adopting a progresssive approach, his work is underpinned by his commitment and drive to support Member brokers, increasing engagement with Patron lenders and Partner service providers, alongside lobbying government bodies on behalf of the commercial finance community, skilfully supported by a non-executive board.
Before joining the NACFB, Norman spent 30 years in the banking sector working for leading financial institutions including NatWest and RBS.
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Richard WestManaging Director, Red Flag AlertRichard West is the Managing Director of Red Flag Alert. A UK leader in business data intelligence and analytics for predicting early warning signs of financial distress, insolvency and growth both domestically and internationally. The company has a strong focus on innovating how business data is delivered to businesses to make it both effective and actionable.
Red Flag Alert also offer intuitive global compliance and monitoring software that have been designed to fit seamlessly into process and not present an impediment to doing business. They recently secured £4.5 million in Series A investment, led by Foresight, and are strongly focused on growth; aiming to become the UK’s leading provider of business data intelligence and analytics to predict growth, global compliance risk and insolvency by 2025.
Richard joined the business in 2013 and has 15 years of experience in sales leadership, across three continents and has generated over £20,000,000 in recurring revenue.
