Latest News
26th May 2022
CEO of British Business Investments appointed to Government taskforce21st April 2022
Green Angel Syndicate welcomes £10m from British Business Investments to combat climate change5th April 2022
British Business Investments commits additional £15m to Compass Business Finance24th March 2022
British Business Investments commits up to €20m to Bootstrap Europe III25th January 2022
British Business Investments commits £15m to Roma Finance22nd December 2021
24Haymarket secures £10m commitment from British Business Investments9th December 2021
Beechbrook Capital achieves a first close on its third UK SME Credit fund29th November 2021
British Business Investments announces £7m commitment to FOLK2FOLK22nd November 2021
British Business Investments – Annual Report 202122nd November 2021
British Business Investments – Full year results for the period ending 31 March 20215th November 2021
British Business Investments announces £5m commitment to Green Angel Syndicate through Regional Angels Programme1st November 2021
British Business Investments announces new £30m commitment to Mobeus Equity Partners27th October 2021
Autumn Budget and Spending Review 202116th September 2021
British Business Investments announces new £15m commitment to Liberty Leasing10th August 2021
Praetura Ventures secures £15m commitment from British Business Investments through the Regional Angels Programme16th June 2021
Isomer Capital announces first close of new €100m opportunities fund3rd June 2021
British Business Investments announces new £50m commitment to Apera Asset Management27th May 2021
Deepbridge secures £15m commitment from British Business Investments24th March 2021
British Business Investments announces new £10m commitment to Co-Fund NI through Regional Angels Programme16th March 2021
MML Ireland Announces Close of €135 Million Private Equity Fund Raised for Investment in Irish SMEs27th January 2021
British Business Investments announces new £10m commitment to Syndicate Room19th January 2021
British Business Investments commits €40m to Claret Fund III at first close22nd December 2020
Liberis adds £70m funding and venture debt to grow embedded business finance platform and help SMEs weather the COVID storm11th December 2020
British Business Investments announces new £25m commitment to Haydock Finance26th November 2020
Newable Ventures and Bristol Private Equity Club secure £10m commitment from British Business Investments11th November 2020
British Business Investments – Full year results for the period ending 31 March 202011th November 2020
British Business Investments – Annual Report 202010th November 2020
British Business Investments announces new £15m commitment to Compass Business Finance5th November 2020
British Business Investments announces new £30 million commitment to back UK SMEs through Funding Circle’s UK SME Direct Lending Fund28th October 2020
FDC launches new £100 million debt fund with investment from the West Midlands Pension Fund and British Business Investments28th October 2020
Assetz Capital secures additional £25m from British Business Investments27th October 2020
British Business Investments appoints Adam Kelly as new Managing Director17th September 2020
British Business Investments announces £30m Tier 2 investment in Shawbrook Bank as part of a £75 million capital raise3rd September 2020
British Business Investments announces a commitment of up to €75m to new Isomer Capital fund of funds, aimed at early stage venture capital managers18th August 2020
British Business Bank appoints CEO on an interim basis of commercial subsidiaries British Business Investments and British Patient Capital, along with new Chairs9th July 2020
British Business Investments announces a commitment of up to €120m to LGT Capital Partners funds10th June 2020
British Business Investments CEO appointed Interim CEO, British Business Bank4th June 2020
British Business Investments commits up to £40m to Columbia Lake Partners UK LLP’s second fund13th May 2020
British Business Investments commits £35m to Harwood Private Capital UK LP (“HPC UK SME Fund”)23rd April 2020
British Business Investments commits £10m to Startup Funding Club17th April 2020
British Business Investments and Par Equity to deliver £75m of investment to support ambitious entrepreneurs in the regions20th March 2020
Statement from the CEO with regards to the Coronavirus outbreak13th March 2020
Assetz Capital secures £15m British Business Investments funding to help boost UK housebuilding11th March 2020
Budget 2020: British Business Investments Response4th February 2020
British Business Investments commits £50m to fund targeting North and Midlands based businesses27th December 2019
Keith Morgan, Chair, British Business Investments, awarded CBE for services to small business finance17th December 2019
British Business Investments commits up to £100m to Hermes GPE in second cornerstone commitment through its Managed Funds Programme30th October 2019
British Business Investments makes £15m Tier 2 capital facility available to PCF Bank16th October 2019
British Business Investments – Full year results for the period ending 31 March 201916th October 2019
British Business Investments Annual Report 201919th September 2019
British Business Investments provides £25m funding line to North West asset finance provider Kingsway12th September 2019
British Business Investments commits £10m to Dow Schofield Watts Angels as first partner in Regional Angels Programme4th September 2019
British Business Investments commits up to €100m to Top Tier Capital Partners’ first vehicle dedicated to European Venture Capital15th May 2019
British Business Investments commits €27m to Bootstrap Europe II2nd May 2019
British Business Investments commits £50m to BOOST&Co’s Second Fund6th March 2019
Beechbrook Capital’s second UK SME Credit Fund reaches first close at £128m and completes first two investments18th February 2019
British Business Investments commits £20m to ThinCats to provide more debt finance to UK businesses29th October 2018
Autumn Budget 201823rd October 2018
British Business Investments – Full year results for the period ending 31 March 201823rd October 2018
British Business Investments Annual Report 20182nd October 2018
British Business Investments makes £25m Tier 2 investment in Secure Trust Bank PLC1st October 2018
British Business Investments launches new £100m programme to support regional angel investment1st October 2018
Catherine Lewis La Torre appointed CEO of British Business Bank’s commercial patient capital activities27th June 2018
British Business Investments commits £31.15m to IQ Capital Fund III to support deep tech companies16th May 2018
British Business Investments provides £12m to asset finance specialist Universal Leasing Ltd15th May 2018
British Business Investments launches new £500m programme to increase access to patient capital3rd May 2018
Growth Capital firm Oxx announces first close of debut fund with commitment from British Business Investments17th April 2018
British Business Investments commits to Dawn Capital’s new venture capital fund11th April 2018
British Business Investments provides new finance facility to Liberis28th February 2018
British Business Investment commits £20m to new venture capital model from Kindred Capital6th February 2018
British Business Investments commits to a £30m boost for smaller businesses22nd December 2017
British Business Investment’s latest commitment boosts regional finance options for UK smaller businesses11th December 2017
British Business Investments commits £30 million at the first close of Shard Credit Partners first direct lending fund4th December 2017
British Business Investments and IGF to increase SME funding with new cash injection30th November 2017
British Business Investments commits £15m to Balderton’s new $375m fund24th November 2017
Budget 201723rd November 2017
News from our partners – Seedcamp celebrates 10 year anniversary with £41M first close seed fund to invest in next generation of European entrepreneurs16th November 2017
British Business Investments commits £20m to £100m FPE Capital fund16th November 2017
Catherine Lewis La Torre at this year’s BVCA Summit21st September 2017
British Business Investments – Full Year Results for the Period Ending 31 March 201721st September 2017
View our Annual Report for 2016-173rd August 2017
British Business Bank Investments Ltd commits €40 million in first closing for Harbert European Growth Capital Fund II.10th July 2017
GCP caps a successful year with a £40m investment from British Business Bank Investments Ltd to complete the final close of Fund IV at £205m29th June 2017
BOOST&Co Limited secures additional £20m commitment from British Business Bank Investments Ltd for its Industrial Lending 1 fund21st June 2017
Atom bank secures £30m Tier 2 capital facility from British Business Bank Investments Ltd21st April 2017
British Business Bank Investments Ltd provides £6.6m of funding to Shire Leasing to boost asset finance for smaller businesses2nd February 2017
Beechbrook Capital closes £150m UK SME Credit I and backs two more businesses18th January 2017
British Business Bank Investments Ltd makes £400m from Autumn Statement available to venture capital funds5th January 2017
British Business Bank expands partnership with Funding Circle8th November 2016
British Business Bank Investments Ltd announces £10m commitment to new £260m technology fund20th September 2016
British Business Bank Investments Ltd – Full Year results for the period end 31 March 201620th September 2016
View our Annual Report for FY2015-1613th September 2016
British Business Bank Investments Ltd commits £18m to northwest-based asset finance provider, enabling a £36m boost to smaller business growth3rd August 2016
British Business Bank Investments Ltd partner Beechbrook Capital holds first close on latest private debt fund20th July 2016
British Business Bank Investments Ltd provides £16.5m line to Northwest asset finance provider Kingsway under new expansion capital initiative16th June 2016
British Business Bank Investments Ltd names Catherine Lewis La Torre as Chief Executive Officer17th May 2016
British Business Bank Investments Ltd invests in Frog Capital II14th April 2016
British Business Bank Investments Ltd invests £30 million in first close of CORDET Direct Lending fund31st March 2016
British Business Bank Investments Ltd invests in Atlantic Bridge III, a new €140 million fund for Technology companies22nd March 2016
British Business Bank Investments Limited partners with Liberis to support funding for smaller UK businesses10th March 2016
British Business Bank Investments Limited publishes half year results for the six months ended 30 Sept 201522nd February 2016
View our annual report for FY 2014-201519th February 2016
British Business Bank Investments agrees £25m facility with Haydock Finance19th January 2016
British Business Bank Investments Ltd invests in new UK Private Debt Fund from Muzinich & Co19th January 2016
British Business Bank Investments Ltd – Annual Results and publication of 2015 Annual Report and Accounts4th January 2016
British Business Bank Investments Ltd-supported Beechbrook Capital’s inaugural UK SME Credit Fund holds first close at more than £100m29th October 2015
British Business Bank’s commercial arm supports UK SMEs with investment in Shawbrook Bank17th September 2015
British Business Bank’s VC Catalyst Fund invests in Nauta27th March 2015
British Business Bank Investments Limited makes €6m clean technology investment2nd February 2015
British Business Bank Investments backs Northwest asset finance provider with £5m investment, introduces new expansion capital initiative31st October 2014
£80 million boost for leasing finance as British Business Bank focuses on alternative lending for smaller businesses24th September 2014
British Business Bank partner BMS Finance provides debt finance to Whittle, one of the UK’s leading commercial painting contractors2nd September 2014
British Business Bank boosts European Capital UK SME fund to £100m to help provide debt finance to UK’s smaller businesses6th August 2014
Making Britain the global centre of financial innovation – £100m extra for British Business Bank Investment Programme25th February 2014
New £40m investment by British Business Bank to support £450m of lending to smaller businesses• Judith Hartley appointed CEO on an interim basis of British Business Investments and British Patient Capital
• Francis Small appointed Chair of British Business Investments
• Russ Cummings appointed Chair of British Patient Capital
For immediate release 18 August 2020: The British Business Bank has appointed Judith Hartley as CEO on an interim basis of the Bank’s two commercial subsidiaries, British Business Investments and British Patient Capital from 1 September. The Bank has also appointed Francis Small as Chair, British Business Investments and Russ Cummings as Chair, British Patient Capital from 1 September.
Judith currently holds the position of Managing Director of the Bank’s UK Network, a team that is physically located within each of the English regions and the three Devolved Nations. She joins the Bank’s Executive Committee and takes over the role from Catherine Lewis La Torre who has recently been appointed Chief Executive of the British Business Bank from 1 September.
Judith Hartley built a career in corporate banking with Barclays and Bank of Scotland before becoming involved in the delivery of publicly funded access to finance products. Prior to her current role, Judith was previously the British Business Bank’s Managing Director, Lending Solutions, where she was responsible for the delivery of a number of the Bank’s debt-based products, including the Enterprise Finance Guarantee, Help to Grow and Start Up Loans. Judith joined the Bank from Capital for Enterprise where she was Managing Director, Debt Markets.
Catherine Lewis La Torre welcomed Judith Hartley’s appointment as CEO on an interim basis of British Business Investments and British Patient Capital: “Judith is a highly respected leader, with more than 30 years’ corporate banking experience and a strong track record of commercial success. She has successfully established and led the Bank’s UK Network team and recently led the Bank’s lender accreditation team during the Covid-19 response and has made a considerable contribution to the Bank since she joined in 2014. I am delighted that she has agreed to take on the role of CEO on an interim basis and look forward to working with her as we support the UK’s economic recovery.”
Francis Small, who is appointed Chair, British Business Investments, became a Non-executive Director in June 2016. Prior to this, he spent 36 years at Ernst & Young where he ran the UK Corporate Finance practice before becoming Global Head of Corporate Finance and a member of Ernst & Young’s Global Board.
Russ Cummings who is appointed Chair, British Patient Capital, became a Non-executive Director in June 2018. He is former CEO, Touchstone Innovations plc, one of the UK’s leading technology investment companies. He brings more than 25 years’ experience as a venture capital and private equity investor having worked for Scottish Equity Partners LLP and 3i Group plc.
Since its inception in 2014, the Bank has grown significantly and at the end of 2019 it supported more than 94,000 businesses with over £7.7bn of loans or investments through its various programmes. Since 23 March, the British Business Bank has launched four Coronavirus business loan schemes, so far delivering more than £52bn of additional finance to over 1.2m UK businesses.
ENDS
Further information
Suzanna Jebbitt
Senior Manager, Corporate Communications
0207 898 5829 / 07827 552 301
suzanna.jebbitt@british-business-bank.co.uk
Notes to Editors
Covid-19 Loan Schemes
Future Fund
The Future Fund will support the UK’s innovative businesses currently affected by Covid-19. These businesses have been unable to access other government business support programmes, such as CBILS, because they are either pre-revenue or pre-profit and typically rely on equity investment. Initially, £250 million was made available by the government for investment through the scheme, to be matched by private investors, with the Treasury making clear the amount could be increased if needed. Due to the popularity of the Fund, more funding is being made available. Developed by government and delivered by the British Business Bank, the Future Fund launched for applications in May and will initially be open until the end of September.
Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS)
BBLS is a demand-led scheme offering lending that targets small and micro businesses, providing loans from £2k up to 25% of the business’ turnover with a maximum loan of £50k. Providing lenders with a 100% government-backed guarantee and standardising the application form has led to a faster process with many loans becoming available within days. The Bounce Back Loan Scheme enables businesses to obtain a six-year term loan at a government set interest rate of 2.5% a year. The government will cover interest payable in the first year.
Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS)
CBILS is a demand-led scheme offering lending to smaller businesses with turnover of up to £45m. Invoice finance and asset finance facilities are available from £1k to £5m, while term loans and revolving credit facilities are available from £50k to £5m. The government makes a payment to cover interest and lender-levied fees under CBILS for the first 12 months.
Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS)
CLBILS is a demand led scheme targeted at larger businesses with a turnover of more than £45m. CLBILS can be used to support term loans, revolving credit facilities, invoice finance facilities and asset finance facilities. The maximum amount available through CLBILS to a borrower and its group is £200m. Term loans and revolving credit facilities over £50m are offered by CLBILS lenders which have secured additional accreditation. The maximum size for invoice finance facilities and asset finance facilities is £50m. Companies borrowing more than £50m through CLBILS are subject to further restrictions on dividend payments, senior pay and share buy-backs during the period of the loan.
About the British Business Bank
The British Business Bank is the UK government’s economic development bank. Established in November 2014, its mission is to make finance markets for smaller businesses work more effectively, enabling those businesses to prosper, grow and build UK economic activity. Its remit is to design, deliver and efficiently manage UK-wide smaller business access to finance programmes for the UK government.
The British Business Bank programmes were supporting more than £7.7bn of finance to over 94,900 smaller businesses at end of December 2019. Since March 2020, the British Business Bank has launched four new Coronavirus business loan schemes, delivering tens of billions of pounds of finance to over a million businesses.
As well as increasing both supply and diversity of finance for UK smaller businesses through its programmes, the Bank works to raise awareness of the finance options available to smaller businesses:
• The Business Finance Guide (published in partnership with the ICAEW and a further 21 business and finance organisations) impartially sets out the range of finance options available to businesses at all stages – from start-ups to SMEs and growing mid-sized companies. Businesses can take the interactive journey at https://thebusinessfinanceguide.co.uk/
• The British Business Bank Finance Hub provides independent and impartial information to high-growth businesses about their finance options, featuring short films, expert guides, checklists and articles from finance providers to help make their application a success. The site also features case studies and lessons from real businesses to guide businesses through the process of applying for growth finance.
As the holding company of the group operating under the trading name of British Business Bank, British Business Bank plc is wholly owned by HM Government and is not authorised or regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) or the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The British Business Bank operates through a number of subsidiaries, none of which are authorised or regulated by the FCA or the PRA.
British Business Bank plc and its principal operating subsidiaries are not banking institutions and do not operate as such. A complete legal structure chart for British Business Bank plc and its subsidiaries can be found on the British Business Bank plc website.