SPEAKER PROFILE

Stephen Johnson

New Business Director at Shawbrook Bank

Theatre: Finance

 

Applying for a commercial loan: does it need to be a gauntlet?

 

Applying for a commercial loan can be daunting and long-winded for many small businesses, and new research has suggested the majority of SMEs find the loan application process bureaucratic and unclear. Stephen Johnson from Shawbrook Bank, which is focused on making it more straightforward for SMEs to obtain secured loans, will share advice on how small businesses can maximise their chances of securing a loan, and highlight some of the common mistakes SMEs make during the loan application process.

 

Shawbrook distributes its lending products through independent brokers. Stephen will also explain how the process works on a practical level, and why securing credit through brokers can help make the loan application process simpler and more efficient for SMEs.

 

Stephen is New Business Director at Shawbrook Bank, a new specialist savings and lending bank which is focussed on providing secured loans to SMEs. Stephen is a qualified chartered accountant and is a corporate finance professional.

 

He has over twelve years' experience setting up and developing lending businesses in the UK, including the mortgage lender Commercial First. Stephen is a strong advocate for using brokers rather than a bank branch network to make the loan application process more cost-effective and efficient, and in his role at Shawbrook he is committed to making it more straightforward for credit-worthy small businesses to borrow.

 

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