Langstone Business Park-based Henry Howard Finance Group has appointed Steve Taylor as head of credit risk to help lead the ongoing expansion of the business.

Steve brings with him nearly 30 years of experience in the financial sector working across a number of retail and corporate roles at Barclays Bank Plc.

He joins the business as it looks to increase its presence across South Wales and the South West following a £25m investment in the business last year which boosted its lending capacity.

After holding roles in recoveries and risk underwriting for Barclays Bank, Steve boasts brings with him an in-depth understanding of the trading difficulties businesses have faced in recent times, as well as the information needed to meet bank requirements for funding proposals.

He has individually assessed well over 15,000 lending requests during his career, covering almost every business type and sector.

After leaving Barclays in February 2014, he commenced working as a commercial finance broker, wanting to focus on helping businesses access alternative finance to support growth and development, so has first-hand experience of the difficulties facing businesses in raising funds

Steve said: “I’m thrilled to be joining a fast growing business like Henry Howard Finance which does so much to support small and medium sized companies across Wales and the South West. I look forward to supporting the business’s continued growth.”

Howard Ross, CEO of Henry Howard Finance, said: “We are really pleased to welcome Steve to our expanding team. His extensive experience as a risk underwriter and recoveries specialist with a track record in supporting business owners seeking finance will be a valuable asset.”