SME lender, Recognise Bank, has appointed Ian Workman as its managing director of commercial banking.

Workman joins from Barclays Bank where he spent the majority of his 30-year career in financial services, the last five years of which he was head of SME banking relationships in the UK.

At Barclays, Workman led the delivery of business banking relationships, products and services to SME customers, overseeing its regional director structure and the national coverage of relationship managers, as well as being one of the senior leaders in Barclays UK Business Banking. He also led on Barclays’ strategy for diversity and inclusion in the Business Banking group.

In his new role he will oversee Recognise Bank’s complete commercial lending offering, working with its network of regional relationship managers, helping to chart the future course for the bank following the removal of it deposit restrictions and full authorisation in the summer.

Workman said: “Small business is in my DNA. My father ran his own small business, as did other relatives in my family. Supporting SMEs is not just a job to me, it’s something that I have lived and breathed, talked about at the dinner table and experienced first-hand.

“I am incredibly excited to be joining Recognise. After so many years at a big bank, I am looking forward to working in a truly entrepreneurial environment, where I will get the opportunity to meet business owners face to face again. With my knowledge of SMEs, I really believe that Recognise Bank’s blend of dedicated relationship managers and cutting-edge technology is just what the small business sector has been crying out for.”

Jason Oakley, CEO of Recognise Bank, added: “I am delighted that Ian has decided to join us to help drive our commercial banking. Not only will he be a real asset to the business, being able to attract somebody of Ian’s calibre and experience shows just how compelling Recognise is in the world of business banking.”