Lending

As we look ahead to 2026, the most important question isn’t whether markets will “bounce back”. The more relevant question is whether we’ve adjusted our expectations to reflect the environment we’re now operating in.

The economy’s shifting: costs are on the rise, margins are tighter, and regulation’s increasing. For growing businesses, that means bigger hurdles and tougher decisions. So where do entrepreneurs find confidence when making those business-critical decisions? It’s not just their optimism or a go-getter attitude. The most successful leaders surround themselves with the right partners, those […]

For ambitious SMEs, the biggest marketing challenge isn’t choosing between brand or performance, it’s finding the balance. Focus too much on short-term performance and your brand risks becoming forgettable. Invest only in brand, and growth can stall before momentum builds. That balance was the focus of our recent breakfast panel on Brand vs Performance: how […]

We recently partnered with FinTech North for their webinar, Scaling Smart: Unlocking Growth for the North. The session brought together over 40 business leaders and finance professionals to explore how scale-ups can access the right funding, attract talent, and build strong partnerships to unlock growth. We were proud to have Stewart Haworth, our Senior Director […]

Earlier this month, Mohith Sondhi, Managing Director, Debit Finance, had the privilege of joining a panel at the BVCA Summit to discuss how today’s macroeconomic environment is reshaping private equity fund finance. The conversation, led by Dana Haimoff of JPMorgan Asset Management, brought together perspectives from sponsors, lenders, and advisors on how our industry is adapting to persistent inflation, stubbornly high interest rates, and ongoing liquidity pressures.

When a hotel owner told us, “My bank has decided they’re not lending to hotels right now. Can you help?” – we didn’t just listen. We acted.

In his latest piece for The Independent, Ben Barbanel, Head of Debt Finance at OakNorth, explores what that moment revealed about the disconnect between banks and growing businesses, and why blending advanced tech with human judgment is essential for delivering truly personalised banking.