Lender secures debt facility of up to £25m

Foresight Group, a listed alternative investment manager, has provided a senior secured debt facility of up to £25m  to Leeds-headquartered specialist secured SME lender, Fresh Thinking Capital.

Foresight worked with the company to structure a debt facility tailored to provide the flexibility required in Fresh Thinking Capital’s business model.

With its new lending capacity, Fresh Thinking Capital will be able to substantially grow its loan book and provide financing to a wide range of SMEs that require a lender to tailor funding that is right for them.

The company provides short-term secured business loans to UK-based SMEs seeking fast and flexible financing, in circumstances where the business may need a prompt funding solution to realise an opportunity.

Fresh Thinking Capital was launched in 2018 by Melanie Hird and Andrew Walls, who previously spent ten years in private equity focused on supporting UK-based SMEs.

So far the business has lent over £50m supporting nearly 40 businesses.

Melanie Hird, founder and director, said: “We are delighted to have secured a funding facility with Foresight that will allow more SMEs to benefit from our flexible funding at a time when businesses and entrepreneurs are looking for additional liquidity.

“We are excited to be working with Foresight and believe their approach and principles to lending fit with our business. We look forward to supporting SMEs and helping them achieve their growth aspirations.”

Oliver Bates, private debt manager at Foresight, added: “We are continuing to grow our asset backed lending portfolio and delighted to partner with the Fresh Thinking Capital team.

“Melanie and Andrew have built a highly successful business in a relatively short time and navigated what was a difficult 2020 for many lending businesses extremely well. We look forward to supporting the team in its next phase of growth.”

Fresh Thinking was advised by Phil Dine and Andrea Unwin from the Clarion banking team.