I entered the world of Factoring in January 1994 as
a temporary credit controller for Metropolitan Factors. Jeff Longhurst was joining Metropolitan Factors, at around the
same time, as Managing Director designate. My career progressed fairly rapidly through to Account Manager, then Senior Account
Manager, and I took on the role of looking after the factoring software and the hardware it was running on. In those days
the Hi-Finance software was being run on an IBM AS/400 system.
After almost four years I left Metropolitan to join
Jeff Longhurst and his fellow Director, David Richards, at their newly formed GLE Invoice Finance. My original role at GLE
was as Operations Manager and initially we were a very small outfit (only five staff at the 1997 Christmas party!). The company
grew quickly in the offices at Sevenoaks to such an extent that we had to knock a wall down to create access to more space
adjacent to our original office (which we thought was big when we started).
In a couple of years we had recruited another 15 staff
and were getting short on space again. It was then that the move to the Kings Hill business park took place. I was the manager
of this project and am pleased to say that the entire move was not only executed within the scheduled timescale, but that
all systems and networks were up and running after the implementation of a new IBM AS/400, a new telephone system and new
communications network.
Well, this first move, to 10 Kings Hill Avenue, lasted
a few more years until the company had grown even more (and changed it's name to IGF Invoice Finance). Another move was then
planned to take place over the Christmas shut-down in 2001 to larger office space at 39 Kings Hill Avenue. Again this move
happened with military precision (thankyou Pickfords) and the staff returned to work after Christmas with a brighter and larger
office that was ready to cope with the planned expansion over the next five years or more. Once more, the latest IBM
AS/400 was acquired in order to keep pace with the growing business demands, yet another greatly expanded communications network
was created with a view to it coping with well over the five years of anticipated business expansion.
My role within the company changed during this period
of expansion and I was promoted to Operations Director in September 2001 and three years later, following the acquisition
by IGF of Dynamic Commercial Finance plc, I changed my role to that of Technical Director.
My experiences "doing the job" range from Credit Control
through to Client Account Management with the various "intermediate" roles also being covered at some stage. I had a little
experience in business development, but that is not a function that I particularly wish to concentrate on in the future. In
addition to heading up the Audit Team at IGF, I also set up the Independent Ledger Verification Company, Lawson Brown Associates
Ltd.
I am fully conversant with legal documentation, contract
terms and conditions, guarantees and security issues. I also have a good knowledge of Commercial Credit Licensing, data protection
legislation and Money Laundering regulations and the associated legal obligations attached to this function. I have been an
Executive Member of CIFAS and am also a member of the Institute of Credit Management.
Another aspect of my job at IGF was to ensure that all
"off site" staff were fully equipped with the "tools of the trade" and that a suitable HomeOffice facility was available to
them. This contributed greatly to reduction in travelling times and therefore far lower carbon emmisions.
I feel I am able to contribute to any Factoring/ABL
company, whether they may be established or just setting up in business.
More recently I have been involved with a major business
systems provider assisting them, as a Business Consultant, with the development and testing of their new "state
of the art" software solution for the Factoring and Asset Based Lending industry.
