Karen is responsible for Newable’s Export Finance loan portfolio since it became an accredited lender under the UKEF Export Finance scheme 2 years ago. She has over 20 years experience in lending to the SME market, providing varied funding solutions including Asset Based Lending, Invoice Finance, Trade Finance and cash flow lending. Karen has worked for both banks and specialist independent lenders, holding roles across Credit, Relationship Management and Operational Functions.   Karen has extended a wide variety of funding during my career, from a loan of £8k to purchase a second-hand car many years ago, through to a £427million bespoke funding offering to an international OEM, along with most things in between! Karen's career to date means she understands the challenges currently faced by UK exporters and is well placed to support their growth ambitions.

Prior to joining Synergy in Trade about 9 years ago, Mark worked for HSBC for 30 years including a period as a corporate relationship manager, before a few years at Clydesdale Bank and a couple of years at RBS on a special project.

John has been with Synergy for about 8 years and has spent his whole career working within the trade finance departments of various US, Arab, European and British banks including about 5 years as an International Trade Manager at HSBC.

Johanna has held managerial roles at KPMG and Grant Thornton, followed by nearly a decade as a relationship manager for Barclays and Royal Bank of Scotland, where she managed a multimillion-pound portfolio. Johanna joined UK Export Finance in 2013. She offers small and medium-sized businesses the ultimate liaison between government departments, chambers of commerce, banks, insurance brokers and other private market financiers with guidance on export finance matters. Johanna is an expert in trade finance and insurance products available to help companies achieve an appropriate risk/reward balance when exporting.

With 30 years of experience in financial services, Lee is a fully qualified banker specialising in the Invoice Finance (IF) market for over 20 years. Before joining Accelerated Payments, Lee led HSBC’s SME and Mid Corporate IF & Trade team, managing a workforce of 200 employees, and overseeing £190 million in revenues with a £5 billion balance sheet. Throughout his career, Lee has worked extensively in the Large Corporate and Asset-Based Lending sectors, collaborating with debt advisory firms and private equity. Notably, he played a key role in the £70 million refinancing of a well-known UK Baking Business.

Julie Pauley has spent most of her career helping hundreds of SMEs to access a range of funded business support programmes. Whilst working as a Business Adviser she supported all aspects of business planning and, as an Innovation Adviser for various companies she has helped businesses with their innovation grant applications. Julie has also run her own business support consultancy supporting numerous small to medium companies to engage with large corporates.

Stéphane is a dual citizen. Born, raised, and educated in France, he has been living in Cambridge for nearly three decades. He has a degree in mechanical engineering and master’s in international business. All his working life involved overseas travels until his role with the Department for Business and Trade and it’s predecessors, 11 years ago. From EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Marketing Engineer for Trane, an American A/C company, to starting up Unionaire’s European HQ, Autoglym’s Export Executive and Farécla’s Export Manager, he has encountered all the facets of international business: from researching a market to visiting, exhibiting, marketing, training, negotiating contracts, establishing successful structured in-market business plans and most importantly getting paid. His role as an International Trade Adviser for DBT working in the Northamptonshire area assisting companies in all industry sectors.