The majority of the senior leadership roles at Bristol-based invoice finance provider Optimum Finance are now held by women following the appointment of Vicky Williams as chief financial officer.
Vicky’s arrival from Newport-based Propel Finance, where she was group finance controller, means that three of the five-strong team at Optimum are female – a rarity in the finance sector, where the majority of senior jobs have traditionally been occupied by men. 
Vicky, pictured, has more than 17 years’ experience in senior finance positions with a focus on supporting high growth organisations.
She fills the final slot in the leadership team under a shake-up introduced by CEO Anthony Persse when he joined last autumn following the death of Optimum Finance founder Richard Pepler.
Vicky said she had been impressed by the drive and ambition of the business, the people and the commitment of its shareholders.
“I have a history of working with high growth businesses and from what I’ve already seen, I’m expecting Optimum to be the best yet,” she added.
“I think Optimum are poised to deliver a meaningful impact on the SME funding space and I cannot wait to be part of this.
“What excites me most about this position is the ability bring my experience to the business and play my part in taking the company to the next phase in its journey. There are so many opportunities, I just can’t wait to get started.”
Mr Persse said he was thrilled to welcome Vicky to the team. “Her knowledge and experience, as well as solid track record will be extremely valuable and comes at a very exciting time for our business,” he said.
Optimum, which was launched in 2017, provides a range of payment services to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across a range of sectors.
It has also been at the forefront of using the latest technology to assist firms in optimising operational efficiencies and effectiveness in areas such as working capital, growth and costs.
The firm regards harnessing market-leading technology as a core pillar of its business along with a highly qualified and experienced senior leadership team.
