FW Capital has bolstered its North West team with the appointment of Junior Bent to support the delivery of investment to local businesses through the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF).
Bent will be based in FW Capital’s Preston office and will be responsible for managing the growing number of businesses in the North West which have received investment from NPIF FW Capital Debt Finance, managed by FW Capital and part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund.
Bent is a former professional footballer who played for Burnley, Huddersfield Town and Blackpool. Since his retirement from football, Junior has worked in the North West banking and finance sector for over 20 years including positions at Barclays, NatWest, Lombard and most recently Propel Asset Finance. He has also coached at Preston NE.
Bent said: “Managing relationships and adding value is really important to me and I’m thrilled to join FW Capital and use my knowledge and expertise to support local businesses who need support and investment to achieve their growth ambitions.”
Gary Guest, FW Capital North West fund director, added: “Having access to capital is proving more critical than ever for businesses which are looking to safeguard and create new jobs. Our role at FW Capital is key and it is vital to have the right people and expertise to help these businesses to reach their potential. [Junior] brings a wealth of knowledge and experience which will benefit businesses across the region and will help us to drive further growth through the provision of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund.”
Loans totalling £35.5m were made directly by FW Capital during the last financial year, attracting private sector co-investment of £69m and underlining FW Capital’s long-term economic impact on the North of England. The investments have helped local businesses create and safeguard 1,677 jobs – a 79 per cent increase from the previous year’s figures of 935.
FW Capital can provide loans of £100,000 to £750,000 in the NPIF region, with a focus on Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside, and the Tees Valley. The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund project is supported financially by the European Union using funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
