Montane Finance launches unsecured lending division for SMEs

Specialist independent finance broker Montane Finance has launched a new division dedicated to unsecured and asset-backed lending, broadening its services to support the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with funding of up to £1 million.

The new arm is being led by Shareen Zaman, an experienced commercial finance professional who joins from Response Business Finance. With more than a decade of industry expertise, Zaman has already begun shaping bespoke deals for SMEs across sectors including energy, hospitality, and motor retail.

Until now, Montane Finance has focused primarily on secured property-backed funding, completing more than £75 million in transactions over the past 12 months. Its award-winning work has largely supported healthcare and hospitality businesses.

Montane Finance is part of the Montane Group, headquartered in Buxton with additional offices in Chorley and Winsford, Cheshire. The group also includes Montane Care, a specialist adviser for the sale and acquisition of care homes and childcare facilities, and Montane Insurance, a boutique commercial broker serving healthcare and hospitality clients.

Group founder and managing director Scott Murcott said the expansion marks a natural next step for the business: “Shareen comes with a wealth of experience in commercial lending and will help to enhance our product offering with her abundance of expertise in unsecured and asset-backed finance.

“This new role will extend our reach to SMEs across all sectors and enable us to provide a more holistic and progressive service to ambitious businesses. There is a significant gap in the market for this type of lending, which will be a valuable resource for our growing client base by helping them expand and improve cashflow.”

Zaman, who is fluent in four languages, said she was excited to take on the challenge: “As soon as I met Scott and heard about his ideas and vision, I knew it would be a great opportunity to join Montane. I’m excited to help build up the business, working alongside Scott’s knowledgeable and experienced team to get more lenders and clients on board.”