Simply reaches £200m Scottish funding milestone

Simply Asset Finance has provided £200 million of funding to Scottish SMEs since establishing its dedicated presence in the country five years ago.

The specialist SME lender has supported more than 1,200 Scottish businesses through 2,700 funding deals, spanning sectors including construction, transport, manufacturing and engineering.

Simply opened its first Scottish office in 2021, with July marking five years since the appointment of William Devine as Head of Scotland formalised the lender’s dedicated operation in the country.

Since then, its Scottish team has expanded from two people to 11 specialists working with businesses across the region. In 2025 alone, Simply originated £42 million of lending in Scotland.

The lender has provided finance to businesses involved in a number of Scotland’s infrastructure and industrial projects, including electricity grid upgrades, oil and gas decommissioning, road improvements and wider construction activity.

Alongside its direct lending activities, Simply is expanding its network of dealership and vendor partnerships in Scotland as it looks to increase its reach among SMEs investing in new equipment and assets.

The £200 million milestone follows a period of wider growth for Simply. The lender recently reported that its cumulative loan originations had reached £2.05 billion at the end of 2025, while its gross loan book increased to £532 million.

William Devine, Head of Scotland at Simply Asset Finance, said: “This milestone is something we’re incredibly proud of. It reflects the trust businesses across Scotland have placed in us and the fantastic team we’ve built over the past five years.

“Scotland now represents a significant proportion of Simply’s lending portfolio, and despite the challenges many businesses continue to face, we’re seeing real resilience and ambition. Businesses are still looking to invest, expand and seize new opportunities, and we’re here to help make that happen because our success is built on theirs.

“We’re excited to keep building on that momentum over the years ahead.”

John Wiles, Managing Director at Simply Asset Finance, added:

“Scotland continues to be one of Simply’s strongest growth regions, and it’s encouraging to see such strong demand from ambitious businesses looking to invest for the future.

“The strength of our local team, combined with our growing network of partners, means we’re able to reach more businesses than ever before with the flexible finance they need. As Scotland continues to invest in infrastructure, industry and innovation, we’re committed to backing the SMEs that will help drive that growth.”