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The future of SME Lending in a post-Covid world
As the sun sets on government-backed loans, how can SME finance return to normal in a post-Covid world, when so much financial uncertainty still exists? In this latest live panel debate we will be joined by a panel of commercial lenders as we discuss how organisations can use data to minimise credit and fraud risks and offer customers a better lending experience.
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Ellie Duncan
Ellie Duncan
Head of Editorial & Broadcast Open Banking ExpoFormer Financial Times Group journalist Ellie Duncan has a decade of experience across financial services. While arguably best-known for her asset management work, she has also covered open banking, credit, private equity and entrepreneurship.
Emma Steeley
Emma Steeley
Chief Executive Officer AroEmma Steeley was appointed CEO in July 2022 of Freedom Finance, a leading UK digital lending marketplace and embedded finance platform.
Freedom Finance partners with over 100 of the UK’s leading lenders and service providers to help customers access a range of consumer credit, mortgage and other financial products through its proprietary matching platform; its embedded finance marketplace is used by high-street brands such as Argos, Asda, The Co-Op Bank, RAC, Very Group and many more.
Emma will lead the next stage of the company’s exciting development and joins from Equifax, where she spent nearly four years as CEO of AccountScore. She has spent over 16 years working in senior roles in the consumer finance and fintech sector, consistently delivering product led growth and successful data driven business models.
Katrin Herrling
Katrin Herrling
Chief Executive Officer Funding XchangeKatrin co-founded FUNDING XCHANGE (FXE) setting out to use access to new live data sources and advanced analytics to disrupt the inefficient SME funding space by creating the first UK platform for businesses to easily access bank and non-bank funding solutions in one place. FXE launched in 2016, announced an exclusive partnership with MoneySuperMarket and was designated as an official finance referral platform by the British Government in November 2016.
Today, FXE is working with nine UK banks and 40+ lenders to help customers access SME funding solutions, delivering services to the UK’s largest price comparison websites and building marketplaces that are integrated into banks’ SME banking proposition.
FXE has pioneered the use of live, validated data sources to transform the underwriting of SME loans. By automating decisioning, FXE is reducing the costs for lenders by more than 70% and giving small businesses transparency of the options they are eligible for. With the advent of Open Banking in 2018, FXE is continuing to lead the integration of new data sources and making it possible for lenders to make instant lending decisions.
FXE is collaborating with Sage, Xero and Experian to demonstrate how access to transactional data is enabling the delivery of user-centric tools that enable small businesses to manage their cashflow more efficiently, build a stronger financial profile and avoid funding emergencies.
Before founding FXE, Katrin spent seven years at Bain & Company, working closely with banks and other financial services institutions across Europe. Prior to joining Bain, Katrin led American Express’ strategy and business development team in London.
Ylva Oertengren
Ylva Oertengren
Chief Operating Officer & Co-founder Simply Asset FinanceYlva has extensive experience of building and managing operations in the financial services sector. After working in global and UK financial institutions, Ylva co-founded Simply in 2017, the aim of which is to create the perfect customer journey that allows SMEs to access funds to realise their potential. Since launch, Simply has established itself among the top 50 UK asset finance companies.
Ylva is also focused on promoting young talent, diversity and innovation. She leads the Leasing Foundation’s Innovation Initiative and runs seminars on innovation through design, technology and culture. In 2019, Ylva founded The Network to bring together women across the alternative lending sector. She was awarded “Innovator of the Year” at the 2018 Women in Credit Awards, and “Leading Woman of Auto and Equipment Finance” at the 2019 IAFN Awards.
