Appointment follows move to bolster the leadership team as the business continues to grow

Platform Black, a leading online business finance marketplace, has appointed Richard Whitehouse as its Sales Director. Whitehouse will be responsible for leading the company’s sales strategy in order to achieve income targets working with businesses and intermediaries to ensure UK businesses have fast access to the flexible funding solutions they need to grow.

With 18 years’ experience in invoice finance, asset based lending and trade finance, Whitehouse has held several leadership roles in Sales and Operations for independent and bank owned funders in the UK, Ireland and Germany most notably with Aldermore Bank, AIB Plc, Royal Bank of Scotland Invoice Finance and Davenham Trade Finance. He also brings with him a wealth of experience in supply chain finance which is a key focus area for Platform Black.

“The fintech market is exploding and this opportunity to join a business in the sector, with such strong lending principles and access to large funding pools, was impossible to ignore. Platform Black’s track record and investment from our parent, Sancus BMS Group will allow the business to continue innovating rapidly,” explains Whitehouse.

Platform Black has seen consistent growth, with a turnover of £44 million last year. The business attributes this continued growth to delivering fast and flexible finance solutions to clients on their own terms as well as diligent risk management, which is aimed at delivering a transparent and professional service to both funders and clients.

Caroline Langron, Managing Director at Platform Black, said: “Our online business finance marketplace allows us to connect clients looking for flexible and competitive finance, with funders who want to support business growth. Our clients find it fast and easy to use, which makes our offering a compelling one for companies looking at innovative ways to finance their growth.”

The company has had a record year, with zero percent defaults in the past 18 months, and is gearing up with new hires to achieve its ambitious growth targets.

With the economy facing some uncertainty in the months ahead, Whitehouse is confident the business will continue to grow and is keen to strategically strengthen Platform Black’s sales operations. A sportsman himself, Whitehouse says: “Watching my nine-year-old daughter train on a ten metre diving board is an inspiration. If she can jump off something twice the height of a house with a smile, there shouldn’t be much to hold back the rest of us.”