Allica Bank has announced the launch of a fully funded broker education programme to mark five years of lending to established UK businesses through the intermediary market.
The new initiative will fund 50 places on a Level 3 Certified Practitioner in Specialist Property Finance course, to be delivered by the Walbrook Institute of London. It forms the centrepiece of a broader training and development package and reflects the bank’s stated commitment to the broker channel as a long-term partner in its continued growth.
Originally launched in 2020 with a commercial mortgage offering available exclusively through brokers, Allica added asset finance the following year and has since expanded to become a full-service business lender. It recently passed £3 billion in total lending, supported by the introduction of a growth finance product in 2023 and its acquisition of bridging lender Tuscan Capital in August 2024.
Nick Baker, chief commercial officer at Allica Bank, said: “Building out Allica’s commercial finance proposition and becoming a multi-billion pound lender over the past five years has been a real privilege, and there’s still so much to come.
“Our broker community has been – and will always be – such an important part of the Allica story, so this is about showing our appreciation and giving back something meaningful.”
The announcement follows a recent internal survey of 414 brokers on Allica’s panel, in which 90% rated their experience with the bank as either ‘excellent’ or ‘good’.
Alongside the Walbrook Institute course, the programme includes gold sponsorship of the Specialist Finance Academy, a social media webinar hosted by Manuka Media’s Rosalia Lazzara, a market update led by economist Trevor Williams, and a series of asset finance workshops focused on financial analysis.
Lazzara said: “I’m proud to be partnering with Allica Bank to mark their five-year milestone with an initiative that truly champions brokers. In an industry where brokers are often left to navigate challenges alone, Allica’s commitment to providing practical tools and dedicated support is a breath of fresh air.
“By hosting the upcoming webinar as part of this initiative, I’m excited to help equip brokers with knowledge and strategies that will empower them to raise the bar and level up their business. It’s inspiring to see a lender genuinely invest in its broker community, and I’m honoured to play a part in driving this positive change.”
Dominic Williams at ASC Finance for Business, one of Allica’s early supporters, added: “When Allica first opened its doors, it filled a real gap, not just with its lending, but in how it treated us as brokers.
“Allica’s progressive policy in commercial finance was very welcome and as a result I think we provided one of their very first commercial lending clients, which all went through smoothly and gave a great first impression.
“Five years ago, face-to-face time with a bank was becoming non-existent, so support like this, where we can track the progress of deals and interact with the lending team including underwriters, was a breath of fresh air. This initiative shows what’s possible when a bank listens and encourages brokers to grow alongside them.”
Michael Mann, broker business development director at Allica, said the programme was designed in close consultation with the intermediary market: “Allica set about building this programme not just for brokers, but with them.
“We spent time listening to what they actually need in terms of practical support, real-world insight, and opportunities that make a difference in their day-to-day work. Whether they’re just starting out or already established, we want this to be something that helps brokers to grow their business.”
The programme is due to launch in September.
