Appointments

Paragon Bank expands SME lending team to boost green energy financing

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Paragon Bank has announced a strategic expansion of its SME Lending division with the appointment of two senior specialists, underscoring the bank’s ambition to accelerate support for UK small businesses transitioning to green energy solutions.

Industry veteran Andy Craggs joins the bank to spearhead the green energy finance strategy within the SME Lending team.

With more than 30 years in the asset finance sector and a track record of supporting energy transition initiatives, Craggs will lead efforts to deliver bespoke funding packages aimed at helping SMEs meet net zero goals. He will report directly to John Phillipou, Managing Director of SME Lending at Paragon and Chair of the Finance & Leasing Association.

Craggs brings extensive leadership experience, having served as Managing Director at ECS Group and most recently as Business Development Manager at Premier, a Paragon Banking Group company. His deep relationships with energy generators and green tech installers across the UK will be central to scaling Paragon’s green finance offering nationwide.

Alongside Craggs, Emma Gorman has been appointed to bolster the bank’s asset finance capabilities.

Gorman brings over 13 years of experience in the SME broker sector, with prior roles at Hampshire Trust Bank, Macquarie Bank, and Aldermore Bank, as well as hands-on experience at an asset finance brokerage.

Her broker-focused background is expected to play a pivotal role in strengthening Paragon’s relationships within the intermediary network and in broadening the bank’s reach across the SME market.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Emma and Andy to the SME Lending team,” said Stewart Good, Sales Director of SME Lending at Paragon Bank. “Emma’s broker-side expertise and Andy’s decades of leadership in asset finance align well with our strategic ambitions. Their combined expertise and ambition will be instrumental in driving our growth and delivering tailored financial solutions to our clients.”

The appointments come at a time of sustained growth for Paragon’s commercial lending activities. In the last financial year, the SME Lending division saw lending increase by 7.3% to over £480 million, alongside an expansion of the loan book.