Portman Finance Group appoints 3 new C-suite members
Broker-lender Portman Finance Group today announces the appointment of three senior leaders to its executive team to accelerate growth and expand funding for UK SMEs.
Mark Craigen joins as chief financial officer and will lead Portman’s finance function, including lender relationships, external advisory engagement and the continued expansion of its own-book lending capability. A chartered accountant who began his career at Deloitte, Mark brings experience across asset finance, manufacturing, technology and financial services. He has held senior leadership roles spanning transformation programmes, system implementation, M&A and the strengthening of financial controls within regulated environments.
Ryan Magee joins as chief legal officer and a member of Portman’s expanded Board, where he will lead the company’s legal strategy and governance framework. Prior to this role, Magee spent nearly a decade at a Magic Circle law firm specialising in corporate and real estate finance. He has since built extensive in-house experience across the challenger bank and specialist lending sectors, playing a key role in loan book growth and the scaling of legal functions.
Simon Williams has been appointed chief compliance officer and will oversee Portman’s risk and compliance framework. After managing several operational departments earlier in his career, Simon transitioned into risk and compliance in 2014. He has since built and led financial crime and compliance functions within a major UK broker-lender, serving as an FCA-approved senior manager.
“This is a hugely exciting moment for Portman Finance Group,” says Alex Read, chief executive officer and founder of Portman Finance Group. “We’ve grown quickly, but we’ve done it with purpose, integrity and professionalism, to ensure UK SMEs get the funding support and level of service they genuinely deserve. Mark, Simon and Ryan each bring a stellar track record of driving growth and strengthening governance, having built their careers within some of the UK’s leading professional and financial institutions. They’re joining us at a time when SMEs need a funding partner they can truly rely on to back their ambitions, and I’m delighted to welcome them to the team.”
“These appointments build on the strong foundations we’ve already put in place across our leadership team. UK SMEs are the lifeblood of the economy, yet too many have been underserved by inflexible high street lenders, slow processes and providers they can’t trust,” Read added. “Access to the right finance is a powerful growth engine. By strengthening our leadership team while continuing to invest in emerging talent, we’re building expertise at every level of the business – ensuring we can deliver the care and support UK businesses need.”
Craigen, Magee and Williams will be based in Portman Finance Group’s headquarters in Northampton.