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Backing Business: Becky Owen, Head of Funding at Leonard Curtis, speaks at NACFB Funding for Growth Event
The NACFB’s final Funding for Growth event of the year took place in Birmingham last week, uniting commercial intermediaries, lenders, suppliers and leading national trade bodies to explore new avenues of growth for businesses across the Midlands.
Becky Owen, Head of Funding at Leonard Curtis, joined an expert panel alongside Matthew Taylor of Shawbrook Bank, Lewis Stringer from the British Business Bank, and Mike King from Simply Asset Finance. The panel offered practical insights into the current trading environment for SMEs, discussing both the barriers and opportunities facing brokers and businesses across the region.
Attendees also heard from Sarah Cunningham, Head of Compliance at the NACFB, who provided a timely update on regulatory and compliance developments, while NACFB CEO Jim Higginbotham addressed the wider trends shaping the commercial finance community.
During the panel session, Becky outlined several key challenges continuing to affect regional businesses, from intermittent labour shortages to tightening access to finance. She also highlighted the structural and investment disparities between the East and West Midlands, noting how factors such as topography and lower levels of rail and telecoms infrastructure can create additional barriers to growth in the East.
Despite these pressures, Becky emphasised that the Midlands remains a region rich with opportunity. She pointed to consistently strong performance in manufacturing and construction, the region’s growing skills base, and its rising prominence in AI and emerging technology investment as reasons for optimism.
Commenting on Leonard Curtis’ commitment to the Midlands, Becky said: “Our Funding team continues to expand in the Midlands, bringing deep technical expertise to help clients secure the right finance and structure for their needs. We’re proud to act as trusted advisors to businesses, offering guidance and support that extends well beyond the transaction.”
Visit NACFB for more information about the organisation and future events.
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Leonard Curtis is a trading style of Reach Commercial Finance Limited, registered at Riverside House, Irwell Street, Manchester, M3 5EN. Company Register number is 09056450. Reach Commercial Finance Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, FRN: 753686. Reach Commercial Finance Limited is an authorised credit broker and not a lender. We work with a an unrestricted number of lenders to find a potentially suitable arrangement for your consideration. ICO registration ZA069234 and you can check via www.ico.org.uk. We will receive commission from lenders. Different lenders pay different amounts depending on different commission models. For transparency we work with the following commission models: fixed fee, fixed rate of commission, percentage of the amount you borrow and rate for risk (this is based on the risk profile of the business). Further details of the commission model, calculation and amount will be disclosed to you throughout your customer journey. Privacy notice.
Leonard Curtis Legal Limited is a limited company, registered in England and Wales with registered number 09820186. Registered office: Riverside House, Irwell Street, Manchester M3 5EN. Leonard Curtis Legal Limited is registered with the Solicitors Regulation Authority with number 626004.