Bristol-based invoice finance provider Optimum Finance has made a number of appointments as it looks to continue last year’s steady expansion into 2024.
Steve Chapman has joined as risk & recoveries manager to lead the firm’s activity in that area. 
Steve, pictured, has more than 40 years’ experience within invoice finance and the financial services, 35 years of which were spent with the Lloyds Banking Group.
More recently he worked for Hitachi Capital. He returns to the industry having taken early retirement in 2020 and realising that he missed it.
Other recent recruits are Keira Matley, who has joined as relationship manager, and Hannah Ansell as relationship manager support executive.
Meanwhile, Hazel Hastings and Savannah Smith have arrived as account executives to support the firm’s customer service, credit control and new business teams.
The appointments come at a time of rapid growth for Optimum Finance, with 12 new starters joining last year across the business as it looks to substantially increase funding capacity to support new and future clients.
The firm, which was launched in 2017 and is backed by London private equity group JRJ, achieved revenue growth of 35% in the year to last July, with inquiries about funding facilities at their highest ever for the firm.
Steve Chapman said: “After having spent a number of years working in invoice finance, I knew I wanted to join a forward-thinking and ambitious business like Optimum, where opinions are heard but also taken on-board.
“The opportunity to share my experience and utilise it to minimise client losses and identify potential risks, whilst ensuring we deliver a great service to both clients and partners is significant and I am thrilled to be part of a team that is passionate about delivering this.”
Optimum Finance CEO Ant Persse said executives with Steve’s experience were few and far between.
“We are delighted Steve chose to come out of retirement and even more delighted that he chose to join us,” he added.
“His experience will be invaluable in both protecting us from potential risk, whilst providing our clients with the very highest levels of professional support he is a fantastic addition to our team.”
He said that the new appointments supported the company’s goal to provide SMEs with the tools to thrive in a challenging economic environment.
