Recognise Bank has appointed a new business development manager for the North West and Yorkshire.

Paul Bagan joins Recognise Bank with 16 years’ experience as a commercial banker, where he has supported SMEs through business development and relationship management roles.

His last role was as a commercial finance broker with Empire Commercial Finance.

Bagan joins three recently-added BDMs, Chris Stevens, Michael Doxford and Jonathan Kirk – who came on board last month. Along with BDM, Ian Fields, and regional director, James Meigh, Recognise is developing a strong regional hub designed to ensure its SME clients have access to an experienced and local team.

Meigh said: “We continue to add further quality resource to our North West and Yorkshire team, and Paul’s appointment ensures we have another highly-experienced individual who has operated in this region since he started his career with RBS in 2000.

“Paul has worked with business owners and real estate investors and is perfectly suited to developing these relationships and ensuring our adviser partners, and their SME clients, have access to our excellent SME-focused loan and mortgage products.”

Bagan added: “I’m very pleased to be joining Recognise Bank and the very strong team that James is assembling here in the North West and Yorkshire. This has been my ‘patch’ for many years and I’m acutely aware of the needs of businesses in this area, and how a new bank like Recognise can provide the human touch and the personal element to these firms. That is much in need and I’m looking forward to helping SMEs bounce back after the pandemic and providing them with the finance they need to do so.”