bartley paul arkle finance

Asset finance specialist Arkle Finance has appointed Paul Bartley as its new non-executive chairman.

Bartley (pictured) is the co-founder of Close Leasing, which grew from a new start in 2006 to a portfolio exceeding £500 million.

During a 30-year career he was also a board member at ING, where he helped grow the Dutch-based lender into one of the UK’s biggest asset finance providers.

He joins Arkle as the Northamptonshire-based lender consolidates a period of rapid growth and embarks on its next phase of development.

Arkle works with more than 150 finance brokers across the UK, providing finance to both SMEs and consumers.

Arkle increased new lending to all sectors by 14% in 2018, more than double the 6% growth it achieved in 2017.

Bartley succeeds Roger Weatherby in the role, who is stepping down as Arkle’s chairman.

Daniel Bailey, managing director of Arkle Finance, said: “Paul is joining Arkle at an exciting and decisive time, as we build on the achievements under the guidance of Roger Weatherby and move up to the next stage in our growth trajectory.

“Paul’s expertise, skills and successes in specialist markets complement Arkle’s strengths and ambitions well, and together we’re looking forward to helping a wider range of clients secure the right finance for both hard and soft assets of all sizes.”

Bartley said: “Arkle has assembled a highly skilled and dedicated team with strong traditional values and who have established an excellent reputation in the support of finance brokers, SMEs and consumers.

“That strength and depth is a testament to the astute stewardship of my predecessor Roger Weatherby, and I am looking forward to assisting the team in the implementation of their growth strategy.”