Shawbrook structures eight-figure funding line to support Portman Finance Group’s ambitious SME direct lending plans

• Established in 2007, Portman is a provider of business finance for the UK SME market.
• Since inception, Portman has delivered over £1.5b in funding for SME’s via its brokerage and more recently through its direct lending offering. 
• Portman was looking to scale up its business to support larger transactions and approached Shawbrook who delivered a £10m funding line.

Portman Finance Group, one of the fastest growing lender-brokers in the UK, is set to scale up its business and broaden its facilities in the UK SME market, following the introduction of a £10m funding line provided by Shawbrook’s Speciality Finance team.

Portman has been a provider of business finance for the UK SME market since 2007. Founded by Alex Read, the business has seen significant growth and expanded from their initial brokerage services to support direct financing to SME clients, culminating in being named in the FEBE 2025 Growth 100 list.

Since 2007, Portman has provided over £1.5b in funding and assisted over 20,000 businesses. Having grown their team to over 100 people, the specialist lender has further ambitious plans to broaden their SME loan offering and assist with larger and longer-dated loans.

Shawbrook’s Speciality Finance team knew the business well and, with a solid understanding of the SME lending landscape, worked with directors Alex Read, Simon Pratt and Ben Laidler, alongside Finance Director Mark Craigen, to structure an eight-figure block facility that will enable Portman to continue to scale.

Simon Pratt, Director of Portman, added:

“Chris and the team have in-depth knowledge of this industry and their ability to interpret our long-term objectives and help meet our growth aspirations were key to forging this relationship. We view this partnership as an ongoing growth journey for both parties.”

Chris Clarke, Director, Structured Lending at Shawbrook added:

“Right from the start, Portman’s Board demonstrated they had built a strong, experienced group and their robust systems and data-led approach aligned perfectly with our vision. We believe that this funding line is only the start of a long and prosperous relationship, and we are pleased that Shawbrook have also joined the Portman Broker panel which reflects our commitment to this client.”