12 May 2020
Asset based lending specialist, BZ, has appointed Robert Wakeford to the new position of Managing Director, UK Sales, the company announced today. BZ provides flexible facilities up to a £150m maximum hold.
Robert will lead the company’s commercial and marketing activity as the team intensifies its focus on supporting the funding needs of UK SMEs, with increasingly large and complex transactions.
Robert has worked at Leumi ABL for the last 10 years. In this role, he was responsible for sourcing and structuring complex deals from his wide network of key introducer relationships, including leading accountancy firms and Private Equity sponsors. Robert graduated from University College London with a BSc (Hons) in Physics.
Prior to starting his career in finance, Robert played cricket with Sussex CCC and gained representative honours with the English Universities. He is currently a playing member of the MCC.
Robert Wakeford says: “I’m delighted to join BZ at such an exciting time in its evolution. BZ is a progressive, inspiring and forward-thinking asset-based lender, with major growth plans. This is an incredibly exciting time to join such an impressive and highly respected team, and to be able to shape the future of the business is an opportunity I couldn’t refuse. In the current environment, UK businesses are facing substantial challenges in being able to access the level and flexibility of working capital they need. BZ has the scale to deploy funding up to £150 million with the commercial appetite and commitment to support clients with structured solutions to achieve their ambitions and drive transformational change.”
Commenting on this new, high profile appointment, Brent Osborne, CEO, said: “Securing Robert in this key role is another important step in our long-term plan and I’m delighted that he is joining us. He joins BZ with an enviable track record as a consummate dealmaker at the forefront of our industry. He has vast experience of structuring transactions across the entire asset mix, including multi-jurisdictional facilities and possesses all of the qualities to lead our new business origination into a new era. Robert’s appointment signals our strong intent to become a powerful new force in ABL.”