British Business Bank appoints UK Network Senior Manager

January 11th 2019

The British Business Bank has appointed Mark Wilcockson to a new position as Senior Manager, UK Network for Yorkshire, Humber and the Tees Valley.

The British Business Bank – the government-owned economic development bank dedicated to making finance markets work better for smaller businesses – is establishing a UK Network, with team members based within each of the English regions and the three Devolved Nations. The UK Network was originally announced as part of the Government’s modern Industrial Strategy in November 2017, with a remit to identify and help to reduce imbalances in access to finance for smaller businesses across the UK.

The UK Network will help enhance business finance ecosystems across the UK so smaller businesses, wherever they are, can grow and prosper. It will also help the Bank develop a deeper understanding of small business finance markets in all parts of the UK so that, ultimately, the Bank can improve its support to smaller businesses everywhere.

Mark will represent the UK Network across Yorkshire, Humber and the Tees Valley and will engage closely with business finance stakeholders in these areas. He will be supporting Geoff Whiteland, the recently appointed UK Network Director, North of England and the Midlands.

Mark joined the Bank in 2016 as a relationship manager for the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF), helping smaller businesses access funding to allow them to grow and achieve their ambitions. Prior to joining the Bank he worked for Lloyds Banking Group for over thirty years, and NHS England.

Geoff Whiteland, UK Network Director, North of England and the Midlands said: “I am very happy to welcome Mark to the UK Network, where he will be able to build on his existing network in Yorkshire, Humber and the Tees Valley to enhance and build our relationships with key SME finance stakeholders and to help identify and reduce imbalances in access to finance for smaller businesses.”

Mark Wilcockson, Senior Manager, UK Network said: “I am delighted to see the responsibilities of my role expanded so I can continue to support the growth of the British Business Bank in the region.  This is an exciting time for growing smaller businesses and I look forward to playing my part in building their awareness of the funding options available to them.”

The UK Network is part of the British Business Bank’s new Demand Development Unit, which has been specifically created to raise the Bank’s profile and relationship with smaller businesses across the UK. The Demand Development Unit also incorporates the Bank’s recently launched Finance Hub, a digital information hub aimed at raising awareness of the finance options available to UK SMEs. It is the source of independent information for growing businesses and offers guidance for scale-up, high growth and potential high growth businesses using interactive content.