United Trust Bank (UTB) has appointed Eleanor Russell-Blackburn as a business development manager to support its asset finance operations in Scotland.
The appointment comes as UTB seeks to strengthen its presence in Scotland and build partnerships with brokers supporting SMEs across various sectors.
HISTORY
Russell-Blackburn (main picture) brings experience in SME and commercial finance, with a particular focus on the Scottish asset finance market. Her career began at Haydock Finance, where she advanced from internal account manager to regional manager, building broker networks across Scotland.
Most recently, she served as senior business development manager at Shawbrook Bank, collaborating with brokers and clients to achieve high approval rates for mid-ticket and larger transactions.
Now based in Scotland, Russell-Blackburn’s role at UTB will involve nurturing relationships with existing broker partners, introducing the bank’s services to new brokers, and growing its share of the local asset finance market.
She will report to Astrid Michael, head of sales for UTB asset finance.
The move aligns with UTB’s strategy to enhance its regional coverage and support for SMEs.
“Scotland presents a significant opportunity for UTB asset finance with many well-established and thriving industries largely underserved by the asset finance market”
Nathan Mollett, head of asset finance at United Trust Bank, said: “Scotland presents a significant opportunity for UTB asset finance with many well-established and thriving industries largely underserved by the asset finance market.
“Eleanor’s experience of working in Scotland with brokers supporting a diverse range of Scottish SMEs makes her the perfect person to lead our push north of the border. Even more so given Eleanor is now based in Tweeddale, just an hour or so from Edinburgh and Glasgow.”
“[Scotland] is a beautiful, thriving country with many successful, capital-intensive sectors with a strong SME presence creating substantial demand for asset finance solutions”
Russell-Blackburn added: “I am delighted to have joined UTB at a very exciting time in their story and look forward to catching up with broker contacts old and new over the coming weeks.
“I love living and working in Scotland. It is a beautiful, thriving country with many successful, capital-intensive sectors with a strong SME presence creating substantial demand for asset finance solutions.
“Being based in Scotland and having a deep understanding of the country’s economy and commercial finance market gives me an advantage over other lenders who can only operate from a distance.
“As UTB’s ‘boots on the ground’ I will be introducing brokers to the Bank’s service driven proposition comprising competitive products, direct access to underwriters, a skilled and dedicated operations and pay-outs team all backed by the latest time saving technology.”
