The bank announced in March that it had lent £34m to SMEs in the South of England in 2017, with the total lending more than doubling nationwide.

Matt previously worked at Bibby Financial Services for over three years.

In his new role, he will be focused on further developing the Secure Trust Bank brand across a wide range of intermediaries and responsible for finding opportunities in the South of England.

Based in the London office working alongside Tony Young and Jeremy Uphill, Matt will be supporting local SMEs with funding options to support growth and manage cash flow.

Matt said that London and the South East were brimming with ambitious businesses that required funding.

“Secure Trust Bank has built a strong reputation in these regions, and I'm looking forward to working with the southern SME community and further reinforcing the firm's position as one of the leading providers of invoice finance and asset-based lending facilities.”

Sean Powell, national sales director at Secure Trust Bank Commercial Finance, added: “Following our success in the South, we are delighted to have made further investment in what we consider to be a key region.

“This move forms part of our wider strategic decision to build a strong regional network capable of serving markets in the South, Midlands and Wales, the North West, and Yorkshire and [the] North East.

“Matt brings a wealth of experience with him from his time at Bibby, and we're confident that he will have a huge impact on our performance across London and the South East.”