She is tasked to grow the bank's real estate finance, asset finance, deposit, and marketing businesses
Specialist lender Cambridge & Counties Bank has appointed Sarah Barker (pictured) to the new role of chief commercial officer (CCO), tasked with growing the bank’s real estate finance, asset finance, deposit, and marketing businesses.
Barker joins from The Co-operative Bank, where she was most recently director of relationship banking. Prior to this, she spent around 13 years at Lloyds Banking Group in a number of senior roles, including business planning, client propositions, and deal management.
Her appointment comes at a time of strong growth for Cambridge & Counties Bank, which registered its highest ever level of customer loans and deposits in 2022. Gross customer loan balances increased by 6% to £1.055 billion, while customer deposits rose to £1.103 billion, up 8%, with £310 million in gross new lending for the year.
The bank’s asset finance business, which helps businesses acquire essential assets such as equipment, plant, machinery, or vehicles, increased 31% to £71 million. Dedicated finance for the purchase of classic cars and sports vehicles through hire purchase and finance lease products also increased 17% to £42 million.
“Cambridge & Counties Bank has become a major competitor in its target markets, with excellent teams working closely with customers and brokers to deliver enhanced, dedicated solutions,” Barker stated in a post announcing the appointment. “The bank is very well positioned to take further market share, and I look forward to helping Cambridge & Counties achieve its ambitions.”
Commenting on Barker’s appointment, Donald Kerr, chief executive at Cambridge & Counties Bank, said the new CCO “is a highly impressive individual” and that “it’s great to have someone of her calibre join the team.”
“She has very strong ideas on how to build the bank going forward and her passion for SME banking is very clear,” Kerr added.
Want to be regularly updated with mortgage news and features? Get exclusive interviews, breaking news, and industry events in your inbox – subscribe to our FREE daily newsletter. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
