John joins the specialist lender from RBS, where he worked for 33 years.

In his most recent role, he was regional head for Williams & Glyn’s structured finance team in the North, where he specialised in unsecured cash flow lending.

Prior to that, John worked in the restructuring arm of the business, where he was a director, managing teams of SME relationship managers.

In his new role, he will operate in the SME and mid-market space, facilitating asset-based lending transactions, as well as refinances and restructures.

“The North West is home to some really exciting businesses, and the corporate finance community within the region is incredibly strong,” said John.

“I’m looking forward to proactively supporting businesses in the North West that are seeking finance for growth and to develop the already excellent offering of Secure Trust Bank.”

John Gribbon, regional director at STB Commercial Finance, added: “John’s ability to identify and execute deals makes him an excellent addition to our growing team. 

“On the back of a record year, we were keen to add further talent to the team so we can continue on this growth trajectory. 

“We are confident that John will have a huge impact on our operations in the region as we look to support even more businesses in 2019.”