Skipton Business Finance has strengthened its presence in the Midlands with the appointment of Vicky Hawkins as regional sales director.

Based in Birmingham, Hawkins (pictured) will report to Jim Furey, sales director for the North West and Midlands, and will be responsible for expanding the lender’s footprint across the region.

Her role will focus on deepening relationships with introducers and brokers while helping small and medium-sized businesses access tailored working capital solutions.

Hawkins brings more than two decades of experience in corporate and commercial banking, covering relationship management, sales and business development. She has particular expertise in invoice finance and asset-based lending, having helped many SMEs secure growth funding throughout her career.

Most recently, she was an invoice finance specialist at Santander UK, generating new business through both self-sourced leads and internal referrals from the bank’s corporate and commercial teams.

Before that, she held senior positions at Santander in Birmingham, including new business integration officer and relationship manager, and earlier worked at NatWest as part of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group.

Hawkins said: “I am thrilled to be joining Skipton Business Finance at such an exciting time in its growth journey. Having worked with SMEs in the West Midlands for many years, I understand how vital flexible working capital solutions are to their success.

“I look forward to helping more businesses access the support they need to grow and thrive.”

Furey added: “Vicky brings a wealth of knowledge, energy and experience to our team. Her background in corporate banking and her passion for supporting SMEs make her an excellent addition to Skipton Business Finance.

“We’re excited to see the positive impact she will have in driving new opportunities across Birmingham and the wider Midlands.”