Meet The Team

Below you can find the details of all the members in our team, the personnel who are working hard for you.

Paul established YBFA in 2020 and has worked across commercial finance broking, debt advisory, and high street banking for over 30 years, holding a range of roles spanning credit underwriting, debt origination, and leadership of large regional teams.

Prior to founding YBFA, his last role in banking was a senior leadership position with a high street bank in Leeds, where he worked with over 150 staff across the city.

He is well known across the North of England within professional circles, having worked in Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield, Manchester, and Liverpool.

Paul’s expertise lies in raising finance and structuring banking facilities to support businesses’ cash flow requirements. Over recent years, he has specialised in structuring acquisition and shareholder change transactions, alongside complex asset-based lending facilities for large SMEs.

He has worked with businesses ranging from corner shops through to PLCs, developing a broad and practical skill set. He believes successful businesses stay true to the principles that made them successful in the first place.

He has also held a number of Non-Executive Director roles, including with Welcome to Yorkshire, the county’s destination marketing organisation.

Paul is a keen sports fan, holding a season ticket at Leeds United and supporting Yorkshire cricket. He is married with two children.

Charlotte brings a wealth of experience to the team, having spent over 22 years in banking before moving into accountancy services, where she has worked for the past nine years, alongside her role at YBFA for the last six.

Throughout her banking career, Charlotte held a variety of positions, including Relationship Management and Credit Training, giving her a strong understanding of both the customer and business sides of financial services. She has always enjoyed working with people and building lasting relationships, while helping businesses and individuals achieve their goals.

At YBFA, Charlotte works closely with our external compliance consultant to help keep everything running smoothly and ensure we stay on top of regulatory requirements. She is a great source of knowledge and support for the team, drawing on her many years of experience to share best practice and practical advice.

Having worked extensively in both client-facing and internal training roles, Charlotte has developed a broad skill set that combines excellent customer service, strong risk awareness, and a practical approach to problem-solving. Her experience across banking, financial services and accountancy means she brings valuable insight and a steady hand to the business.

Ken is a fundamental part of the team having managed top-tier Corporate and Commercial Banking roles across the U.K for RBS, Cumberland Building Society and Santander.

Ken brings over 39 years of expertise involving compliance and wealth management ensuring our clients can feel confident we are meeting all the stringent lending guidelines and procedures needs to transact correctly.

Jake has responsibility for developing the bridging loan and buy to let side of YBFA along with expanding his knowledge in core Commercial Banking.

He holds 6 years experience in operational roles across various sectors including Insurance & Construction prior to joining YBFA, to pursue his career in Financial Services.

Jake is educated to degree level and holds a BSc in Business & Financial Economics along with an MSc in Financial Economics having graduated from the University of Bradford.

Outside of work Jake is a Leeds United fan and is an avid footballer, both playing and coaching an open-age team in Halifax.  He also enjoys walking his two crazy spaniels with his wife Jess.

Jack is a Finance Broker with over 10.5 years’ experience at NatWest, where he developed a strong foundation in business and commercial banking.

During his time at the bank, Jack worked closely with business owners across a range of lending needs, including asset finance, commercial lending, and property-related funding.

Jack now supports businesses and property investors by sourcing appropriate finance solutions aligned to their objectives, managing the process from initial enquiry through to completion.

Jack focuses on clear communication and building long-term client relationships, supporting clients throughout the funding process.

Outside of work, enjoys socialising with family and friends and long dog walks with his Zeus.

Barry is a Yorkshire-based financier with national and international experience across corporate and commercial banking. He has spent c.30 years with leading global and high-street banks including Santander Corporate, Barclays Corporate, CYB and Standard Chartered, working across the UK, Africa and Asia.

He has extensive experience managing UK mid-market and multinational portfolios, with turnovers of up to £300m, and strong expertise in underwriting, credit stewardship and structured finance, including term and development debt, cash-flow funding, mezzanine finance and asset-backed lending. Barry has also acted as an interim team leader and brings broad multi-sector experience spanning manufacturing, care, retail, professional services, agriculture, local authorities and charities.

Barry has a proven track record in winning new-to-bank relationships and was Santander Corporate’s top new-to-bank performer across Yorkshire and the North East in 2025. He is passionate about mentoring and developing emerging talent and has delivered training across risk, financial analysis and sector-specific lending throughout his career.

Outside of work, Barry is a keen supporter of Liverpool FC, Bradford City and Bradford Bulls, and enjoys watching county and Test cricket whenever possible.

Kate joined YBFA in January 2023, bringing over 10 years of experience within the finance industry. She initially joined the business as a Relationship Support Manager and has since progressed to Team Lead, reflecting her consistency, capability, and commitment to delivering a high standard of service.

Since joining, Kate has developed strong experience in supporting the delivery of finance solutions and working closely across the team to ensure a smooth and efficient client journey. She plays a key role in coordinating activity between the firm’s finance brokers and relationship support function, helping to maintain clear communication and effective processes throughout.

In her role, Kate oversees the relationship support function, ensuring day-to-day activity is managed effectively and that the team continues to deliver a consistently high standard of service in support of the wider business.

Outside of work, Kate enjoys time with family and friends.

Alec joined YBFA as a Relationship Support Manager, having previously worked in various finance roles. Most recently, Alec worked as a Credit Manager in the Steel Industry.

His main duties will include liaising with both customers and funders, ensuring a positive customer journey from onboarding to completion. Alec will be involved in all business areas, looking to progress to a finance broker role in due course.

Outside of work Alec enjoys playing rugby league and is the captain of his local team, as well as playing various other sports such as pool & darts.

Shannon joins YBFA as a Relationship Support Manager, bringing with her 6 years of experience from previous Finance Manager roles across a diverse range of sectors including financial services, wholesale, and tourism. She holds a BA (Hons) in Accountancy & Finance from the University of Lincoln.

In her role, Shannon is responsible for liaising with both customers and funders, ensuring a smooth and positive customer journey from onboarding through to completion. She also supports YBFA’s marketing activities and event planning, helping to coordinate client communications and deliver engaging events. Shannon is excited to broaden her knowledge of commercial finance and continue developing her expertise within the funding industry.

Outside of work, Shannon enjoys spending time outdoors, particularly hiking in the Yorkshire Dales.