Dr Steve Walker
Chief Executive and Director
Has been Chief Executive of ART Business Loans (ART) since launch in 1997. He has contributed extensively to policy issues relating to access to finance and support for small businesses, including social enterprises, at both regional and national level, drawing from his practical experience.
He is a regular presenter on access to finance practice and policy, and has had many articles published in his area of expertise.
Was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in 2007 by the University of Birmingham for services to enterprise and access to finance. In 2016 he became also an honorary research fellow at the University.
He was named Responsible Finance Leader of the year at the 2018 Citi Microentrepeneurship Awards in March 2018
Email: steve.walker@artbusinessloans.co.uk Mobile: 07974 722 006
See what Steve has to say about ART
Steve Walker
The Lending Managers
Martin Edmonds
Martin has particular responsibility for business lending. He joined ART in 2003 and is charged with prospecting, assessing and monitoring a wide range of local activities and opportunities. Martin has many years experience of the banking sector and has also worked within business support agencies in various capacities.
Email: martin.edmonds@artbusinessloans.co.uk Mobile: 07866 826 153
Graham Donaldson
Graham joined ART to support its growth in 2014, bringing with him over 30 years experience of business lending and specialist expertise in developing and maintaining customer relationships, which are crucial to ART’s way of working.
Email: graham.donaldson@artbusinessloans.co.uk Mobile: 07974 720 512
Rozna Haque
Roz joined the lending team in 2015 to help meet increased demand for ART loans. She has extensive knowledge and experience of customer account management and relationship management, having worked for a variety of banks and financial services companies during her career.
Email: roz.haque@artbusinessloans.co.uk Mobile: 07710 099 286
Operational Team
Yasar Irfat
Finance & Operations Manager
Yasar joined ART in 2019 and takes care of all operational and administrative matters. He has responsibility for business planning, developing and enhancing systems to support its future growth and development.
Email: yasar.irfat@artbusinessloans.co.uk Mobile: 07513 723138
Sudip Sangha
Finance and Operations Officer
Sudip joined ART in February 2022 and assists on all operational and administrative matters. He has responsibility for loan documentation, admin and assists Yasar in financial matters. Sudip has previously worked within accounting roles.
Email: sudip.sangha@artbusinessloans.co.uk Mobile: 07513 723139
Our Board
We have a volunteer Board of nine members, who meet regularly to set strategy and ensure ART Business Loans is running efficiently and meeting its objectives.
Dr Nick Venning DL – Chairman
Former Marketing Director, Global Industries at PwC
Formerly Marketing Director Global Industries at PwC, is now an independent business development consultant working primarily in professional/financial services. During a career spanning 40 years, he enjoyed a brief academic career and worked in industry (Dunlop and Foseco Foundry Services), management consulting (Coopers & Lybrand) and marketing of professional services (Price Waterhouse / PwC).
He is a well known champion in the Third Sector focusing on young people, employability and community initiatives; in 2017, Nick was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Aston University for leadership in Corporate Social Responsibility.
In 2017, was commissioned a Deputy Lieutenant of the County of West Midlands. He chairs the West Midlands Queen’s Award for Voluntary Services panel and is Lead DL for the Dudley MBC area.
Christopher Davis – Vice Chair
Retired Regional Credit Director, Barclays Bank
Joined ART on retiring from Barclays Bank where he undertook the role of Regional Credit Director. Has extensive experience gained from working in the SME sector which helped to shape his understanding of the sector from the perspective of both borrowers and lenders with the emphasis on trying to find practical solutions to practical problems.
Heavily involved as a financial controller / adviser to a small business in the hospitality and leisure sector which means he clearly understands the many challenges of running an enterprise in what remain uncertain times.
Darren Hodson
Corporate Finance Partner, PKF Smith Cooper LLP
Has 25 years experience of raising finance in the mid-market including supporting businesses in the financial services sector.
Has extensive experience of private equity and bank funding, raising funds for his clients, and also supporting private equity houses and banks on investing.
Leads PKF Smith Cooper’s corporate finance division in Birmingham having held leading roles at Deloitte, and BDO Stoy Hayward. Passionate about the Midlands and working with local entrepreneurs to successfully drive results for them.
Kirsty Davies-Chinnock
Managing Director, Professional Polishing Services Ltd
Kirsty is the MD of Professional Polishing Svs Ltd which is the UK’s market leader in mechanical surface polishing for the architectural, nuclear and pharmaceutical industries. She is also Director and Chair of The British Stainless Steel Association, a Non-Exec for TAG Network Midlands, a Trustee for Birmingham Roller Derby, a Business Ambassador for Acorns Children’s Hospice and a School Governor for Watville Primary School.
Has been in industry for over thirty years and is passionate about SME manufacturing companies.
Focus for the next few years is on sustainability and creating a carbon neutral factory.
Malcolm Brookes FCMA
Non-Executive Director, Al Rayan Bank
Malcolm joined Forward Trust as a trainee accountant and after qualifying, Malcolm held several senior positions predominantly in Finance, although he headed Group Audit reporting to HSBC audit function, where he became responsible for auditing the Bank’s finance functions and First Direct.
As FT was renamed and subsumed into HSBC Commercial Bank, Malcolm was promoted to CFO a position he held until joining HSBC Group where he was instrumental to establishing the Business Growth Fund.
Malcolm retired from HSBC in 2010 and established his own company providing accountancy and payroll services. In 2014 he was appointed as a NED with AL Rayan Bank and has chaired Audit and Risk committees and is currently chair of Remuneration & Nominations Committee and the Senior Independent Director. He also acted as Interim Chair of the Board for twelve months.
Tom Horton
Previously a Corporate Banker, now an Investment Director and Senior Debt Advisor for Heligan Group.
Has 15 years senior corporate banking experience and specialises in debt and acquisition facilities.
He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment.
Jon Addis
Private Equity Adviser & CFO, formerly Group CFO at UK Power Reserve and Investment Director at LDC & Royal Bank Private Equity
Following a successful career as a Group CFO, M&A Director and private equity investor, Jon now provides NED and consulting services to SMEs and funders. Jon is a three-time British Venture Capital Association award winner, a qualified Chartered Accountant and Non-Executive Directors’ Association Certified.
Has NED experience at both private equity and privately owned technology, specialist engineering, business services, financial services, consulting, travel, online retail and manufacturing companies.
Jon also spent seven years as a senior investor at Lloyds Development Capital and Royal Bank Private Equity, including a period as Regional Head for LDC.
Rebekah Eden
Has worked in regulation for over 15 years, in different regulatory fields, currently Deputy Director for Analysis at the Department for Business and Trade.
Worked in the previous Regional Development Agency for the West Midlands, Rebekah brings a wide understanding of the benefits of driving a local economy forward.
Susan Farmer
Started career in retail before moving into the Financial Services sector where she has worked with Halifax Bank, Alliance & Leicester, Wesleyan Assurance Society and Bibby Financial Services (BFS).
Has held a number of senior roles and is currently HR Director at BNP Paribas
Susan has experience of people and operational improvement, transformation, and driving income growth and cost efficiencies. She is an advocate of ensuring that colleagues are engaged and understand the impact that they can have on business performance whilst ensuring the best customer experience is delivered.