ThinCats announces the departure of chief development officer

Damon Walford

ThinCats a leading alternative lender to mid-sized businesses today announces the departure of Damon Walford, chief development officer.

Since joining ThinCats in July 2016 Damon has helped ThinCats develop a market leading proposition, relaunch its brand and establish a nationwide origination team. The value of ThinCats’ loan book increased fourfold during this period with annual growth in loan origination averaging 80% per year over the last three years. In August 2019 the total value of loans arranged by ThinCats’ surpassed the £500m milestone.

Damon’s responsibilities for origination will pass to Mike Hackett, ThinCats head of sales, who has over 20 years’ experience raising capital for small and medium sized businesses in senior corporate banking roles at RBS and Santander. Damon’s other responsibilities will be absorbed by the ThinCats’ leadership team.

Damon said: “I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved in taking ThinCats from a niche P2P lender to a mainstream alternative funder of the mid-sized businesses that play a key part in driving the UK’s economic growth.

“ThinCats is in a great position to build from here and I am confident that they will gain further traction within the corporate finance, accounting and private equity finance communities. I am looking forward to my next challenge.”

Amany Attia, chief executive, ThinCats: “Damon has been instrumental in helping ThinCats become a genuine funding alternative to the banks for many mid-sized businesses across the UK. I would like to thank Damon for his contribution to so many areas of the business over the last three and a half years.

“Damon leaves us well placed to capitalise on the increasing appetite from institutional investors to allocate more of their investments to business loans, which will enable more businesses to look beyond their banks for better funding solutions. We wish Damon well in his future endeavours.”