Local expertise with UK wide coverage

Kenny Hughes
Co-Head of Origination, Scotland

Kenny has a wealth of experience and knowledge from his extensive career in business finance; he has spent over 30 years in corporate debt and leveraged finance, most recently at Thincats, where he led the growth of the business in Scotland and Northern Ireland and Private Equity transactions across the UK.

Prior to this, he has held senior corporate and structured finance roles in London and Scotland at Bank of Scotland, RBS and Barclays.

Colin James
Co-Head of Origination, South West

Colin has over 25 years banking experience in Bank of Scotland and Barclays in roles encompassing Commercial and Corporate Banking, Leveraged Finance and Equity Investment.

As part of HBOS Integrated Finance, Colin led MBOs and other equity transactions and at Barclays he led the South of England debt team, providing debt to SMEs.

Mike Millington
Regional Director, Midlands

Mike has a wide range of SME banking experience having worked in the Mid-market and Commercial banking space for RBS, NatWest, Thincats and recently as a broker with Swoop Finance.

Mike has over 30 years banking experience in supporting businesses across the Midlands finding the right funding solutions for clients.

Stuart Watson
Regional Director, North West

Formerly in Corporate Banking and Leveraged Finance at Williams & Glyn, Royal Bank of Scotland and NatWest, Stuart has 30 year's experience, completing many Leveraged Finance transactions (£1m-30m debt) and assisting SMEs with Buy-Outs, Share Re-structures, Cash Outs and Acquisitions.

Stuart also worked in Credit, NatWest's Merchant Bank and in the Corporate team of an international law firm.

Alistair Dalzell
Senior Advisor and Chair of Credit Committee

Alistair took over from Peter Stevens as Chair of Credit Committee in 2022. He is the ultimate decision maker on credit approvals.

Alistair has an extensive career in Investment, Corporate and SME banking gained in both the UK and USA. He was previously Head of Credit for the RBS England and Wales and NatWest business that was to become Williams & Glyn. His experience includes establishing and developing Credit Risk functions, spearheading strategy and change programmes, negotiating business sales, including addressing staff T&C's with suitors, staff and Unions, being a constructive member of the Business and Risk Leadership Boards and, as appropriate, an interface with PRA (Prudential Regulation Authority).

Daniel Rodrigues
Head of Credit

Daniel joined SME Capital in 2017. He is focused on credit assessment, deal structuring and transaction execution, and is involved the ongoing development of our credit processes.

Prior to SME Capital, Daniel worked as Credit Officer in Leveraged Finance and High Yield at UBS Investment Bank before transferring to the Leveraged and Acquisition Origination team. As a Credit Officer he prepared credit approval and approved Leveraged Finance and HY transactions within delegated authority. Prior to UBS, Daniel worked at Fortis Bank and CIBC markets in the Portfolio Management team in Leveraged Finance.

Daniel holds an MSc (equivalent) Business Administration degree from the Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Lisbon

James Kaberry
Chairman & CEO

James co-founded SME Capital in 2014. As Executive Chairman & CEO, he oversees our vision to be the go-to lender for UK SMEs, working closely with the team.

James developed an acute understanding of the SME market in his role as CEO of Pantheon Financial Ltd, one of the UK’s largest IFA groups which he founded in 2000. James subsequently sold it to Friends Life in 2007 before repurchasing it in 2010 and reselling again in 2017.

James is a serial entrepreneur having been involved with multiple companies from the outset, ranging from wind farms to successful web applications.

Kate Kennedy
COO

Kate joined SME Capital in 2019 as COO, overseeing business operations, new channel and product development.

Kate has over 20 years’ experience leading teams globally in Managing Director, Commercial Strategy and Digital roles in Financial Services and Consumer sectors. She also advises CEOs and Boards. Most recently she was Chief Digital Officer and Strategy Director at Travelex. Previously she was management consulting retail businesses such as WHSmith and Bain & Co.

Mike Ellwood
Strategic Advisor

Mike is strategic advisor to SME Capital. A senior banker with over 30 years experience in structured finance, he had significant spells with RBS as Managing Director for Mid Market Structured Finance and Santander, where he built the UK Corporate and Commercial Banking business to £20bn of assets, including £1bn in their Growth Capital offering.

Mike now has a portfolio of Chairman and Non Executive Director roles across a variety of sectors.

Chris Collings
Regional Director, South

Following on from a 20 year banking career Chris has a wealth of mid-market lending experience, having operated in senior client relationship management, origination focussed roles.

Chris’s experience has encompassed M&A, funding for growth and refinancing, which will support SME Capital’s lending capabilities across the South.

Robert Hulse
Head of Channel Development

Rob joined in May 2022 and has been in financial services, helping SMEs achieve funding since 2005.

He has a breadth of experience across multiple financial products and has developed and led multi-channel origination teams within several alternative lending organisations. His passion is working with SMEs directly and building relationships with business introducers such as Brokers and Accountants. He has extensive experience providing funding opportunities for startups, fast-growing companies, and established SMEs.