Prestige Funds https://www.alpha-week.com/ en Prestige Capital's Prime Alternative Finance Fund Receives SFDR Article 8 Approval https://www.alpha-week.com/prestige-capitals-prime-alternative-finance-fund-receives-sfdr-article-8-approval <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--features.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--features.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>Prestige Capital&#039;s Prime Alternative Finance Fund Receives SFDR Article 8 Approval</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--features.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--features.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span>Mon, 09/18/2023 - 13:17</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--features.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--features.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><span><span><span><span><span>Prime Alternative Finance, a lending fund managed by Prestige Capital Management Limited, has received SFDR (Sustainable Finance Disclosure Requirements) Article 8 approval under the EU’s 2021 SFDR regime.</span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span>The investment objective of PRALTF is to target renewable energy projects which, by their nature, provide a ready source of clean energy to the United Kingdom energy infrastructure. </span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span>The strategy focuses on a diversified portfolio consisting of rural, commercial and industrial loans, leases and finance agreements; t</span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span>he lending activity constitutes project finance with environmental characteristics (renewable energy and waste to energy infrastructure) and is secured on assets including land, buildings, personal guarantees and sometimes government support incentives.  Underlying borrowers include agricultural, farming and food-related businesses.</span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span>“In an era where there is increased regulatory scrutiny on the ‘green’ status of investment funds, it is gratifying to see our clean energy focused strategy receiving SFDR Article 8 approval. This is testament to the hard work of teams at all levels of the Prestige Funds organisation as well as to the specific climate-focused credentials of the fund itself. PRALTF has evolved to become a conduit for private capital interested in fostering the ongoing development of clean energy facilities in the UK rural economy. It is a dedicated debt-based fund with a green energy agenda and we feel worthy of SFDR 8 status," said Craig Reeves, Founder of Prestige Funds.</span></span></span></span></span></p></div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-tags--features.html.twig * field--node--field-tags.html.twig * field--node--features.html.twig * field--field-tags.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/alternative-credit-firm-and-fund-news" hreflang="en">Alternative Credit Firm And Fund News</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/real-assets-firm-and-fund-news" hreflang="en">Real Assets Firm and Fund News</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/directory/prestige-funds" hreflang="en">Prestige Funds</a></div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field.html.twig' --> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="flag.link_builder:build" arguments="0=node&amp;1=10224&amp;2=bookmark" token="KM9ooZVa6-WjaZVc76vlEn3JlfhNwbNC7Dz3kD3BIkk"></drupal-render-placeholder> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-author--features.html.twig * field--node--field-author.html.twig * field--node--features.html.twig x field--field-author.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field--field-author.html.twig' --> <a href="/author/greg-winterton" hreflang="en">Greg Winterton</a> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field--field-author.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-content-role--features.html.twig * field--node--field-content-role.html.twig * field--node--features.html.twig * field--field-content-role.html.twig * field--list-string.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-content-role field--type-list-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Content role</div> <div class="field__item">AlphaWeek Basic</div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field.html.twig' --> Mon, 18 Sep 2023 12:17:53 +0000 AlphaWeek Staff 10224 at https://www.alpha-week.com Alternative Credit Q&A: Craig Reeves, Prestige Funds https://www.alpha-week.com/alternative-credit-qa-craig-reeves-prestige-funds <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--features.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--features.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>Alternative Credit Q&amp;A: Craig Reeves, Prestige Funds</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--features.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--features.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span>Mon, 09/05/2022 - 09:05</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--features.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--features.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><span><span><span>The private debt market is a growth story, evolving from the ashes of the global financial crisis to become an asset class in its own right. AlphaWeek’s Greg Winterton spoke to Craig Reeves, Founder at private debt investor Prestige Funds, to learn more about what he is seeing in the space.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><strong>GW: Craig, one of the biggest geopolitical stories at the moment is that of energy security. What sectors lend themselves to support this goal, and why is private debt a compelling method of funding this?</strong></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>CR: High gas and electricity prices have now become a major concern and the top news story in the UK. Part of the problem stems from under-investment and insufficient incentives for the clean energy sector for some time now. We provide lending capital to biogas energy projects around the UK, which are designed to provide farms and rural communities with a clean source of renewable energy. Indeed, we are getting close to the point where towns in the UK will be able to generate power from the waste they produce. But the funding required for this is not coming from commercial banks – it is coming from the private lending market.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><strong>GW: Still on the ESG theme, there are numerous potential investments that can support an investor’s ESG mandate. What are some of the other sectors that you’re seeing demand for private debt solutions from?</strong></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>CR: Private debt has become a major source of essential funding in the UK for small and medium-sized businesses. These companies are major UK employers. Since 2008 and the financial crisis they have found it increasingly difficult to interact with the banking sector. Private lending provides firms with essential, secured capital lines to fund their growth. During the pandemic, our lending partners were very active in deploying government support through our network to the companies that needed it the most. There is a strong social element here, as this activity was helping to keep people employed, and still does. </span></span></span></p> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'filter_caption' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/filter/templates/filter-caption.html.twig' --> <figure role="group" class="align-right"><img alt="Craig Reeves" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5c33ce29-5757-4c6a-80e4-657aeb9b0860" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Craig-Reeves.jpg" width="200" height="200" loading="lazy" /><figcaption>Craig Reeves</figcaption></figure><!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/filter/templates/filter-caption.html.twig' --><p><span><span><span><strong>GW: Changing pace, demand for Sharia-compliant investment solutions from an ever-increasing private wealth sector in the Middle East continues apace. What opportunities are Middle Eastern investors interested in, and why?</strong></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>CR: Islamic investors have many of the same criteria as those who follow a strong ESG mandate. We have seen a developing appetite in the Middle East for a fund which meets shariah criteria, but which can be supported by a portfolio of green energy projects. We encapsulated this in the launch of our Premium Alziraea Fund early this year. Islamic investors like the consistent return renewable energy projects can provide, coupled with the strong social and environmental elements that come with them. Our lending partners were able in the case of Premium Alziraea to develop screening criteria for projects which could satisfy a shariah scholar.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><strong>GW: Part of private debt’s pitch has been that these products have been generating real yields for investors, but given inflation levels at the moment, this is often not the case. Everyone hopes that current inflation levels will recede but what are some of the concerns you’re hearing from LPs about private debt and what’s your answer?</strong></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>CR: Investors always want higher yields, but it’s also a factor of risk and liquidity. We could probably lend money at 50% p.a. but the risk would be significantly higher and the ultimate exit may be longer and more complex. Private Debt remains an increasingly essential and complimentary alternative to traditional fixed income strategies but usually with superior risk adjusted returns and low volatility. We have seen throughout both the pandemic and more recently the war led inflationary environment that many risk assets have become significantly more volatile and correlated to each other.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><strong>GW: Lastly, Craig, a private debt bull would say that the asset class has now proven its resilience in the sense that it’s now endured two crises - the Covid-19 pandemic, and the current geopolitical turbulence – both of which are still ongoing. What’s the message to LPs that are yet to get on board?</strong></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>CR: Private debt really grew out of the financial crisis in 2008; we launched our firm then, and the change we saw over the next 15 years was one of the commercial lending landscape transforming out of all recognition. This was partly down to the new regulatory requirements imposed on the major banks. It has created more opportunities for investors, and private debt has gone from being a niche part of alternative investment portfolios to a component one that ranks alongside infrastructure and private equity in terms of allocations. Investors also continue to hunt for yield; yes, we have higher inflation, but real yields are still very low. Preqin is forecasting that the private debt sector will continue to grow and will double in size by 2026. It is a very good place to be for both fund managers and investors.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><strong><em>Craig Reeves</em></strong><em> is Founder at </em><a href="https://www.prestigefunds.com/"><em>Prestige Funds</em></a></span></span></span></p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-tags--features.html.twig * field--node--field-tags.html.twig * field--node--features.html.twig * field--field-tags.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/alternative-credit-private-debt" hreflang="en">Alternative Credit - Private Debt</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/alternative-credit-qa" hreflang="en">Alternative Credit Q&amp;A</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/directory/prestige-funds" hreflang="en">Prestige Funds</a></div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field.html.twig' --> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="flag.link_builder:build" arguments="0=node&amp;1=9545&amp;2=bookmark" token="IvFJajUT1wh0qRGNDaUR7zx4s2VNxSUxW1WwE6Qig1M"></drupal-render-placeholder> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-author--features.html.twig * field--node--field-author.html.twig * field--node--features.html.twig x field--field-author.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field--field-author.html.twig' --> <a href="/author/greg-winterton" hreflang="en">Greg Winterton</a> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field--field-author.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-content-role--features.html.twig * field--node--field-content-role.html.twig * field--node--features.html.twig * field--field-content-role.html.twig * field--list-string.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-content-role field--type-list-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Content role</div> <div class="field__item">AlphaWeek Basic</div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field.html.twig' --> Mon, 05 Sep 2022 08:05:09 +0000 AlphaWeek Staff 9545 at https://www.alpha-week.com Prestige Funds Adds New US Strategy To Its Product Range https://www.alpha-week.com/prestige-funds-adds-new-us-strategy-its-product-range <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--features.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--features.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>Prestige Funds Adds New US Strategy To Its Product Range</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--features.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--features.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span>Wed, 06/02/2021 - 08:32</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--features.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--features.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Direct lending specialist Prestige Group is adding a new US strategy to its existing range of alternative credit funds.<br /><br /> Business Finance Opportunities (BFO) is focusing on asset-based lending in short and medium-term commercial loans, specifically in the United States. The loan portfolio will be managed by dedicated, specialist finance arranger Capstone Capital Group, a U.S.-based private lender focusing on invoice and factoring finance. Established in 1990, New York based Capstone has originated over $6bn in transactions since its inception.<br /><br /> The Cayman Islands-domiciled BFO will invest in a diversified portfolio of secured finance opportunities across a broad range of commercial and industrial sectors. Most of the financing activity will be secured against assets including accounts receivable, inventory, equipment, machinery, and real estate. The fund will be aimed at institutional investors looking to diversify their investment portfolios in a strategy that has a low correlation to traditional bonds and equities; the fund will operate as an open-ended vehicle although it will have monthly liquidity on 90-180 days and will be available in accumulation and distribution share classes in GBP / USD / EUR currencies. The fund will operate without leverage or performance fees. Prestige is targeting $50-100mn of assets in year one, although the firm says that the current investible opportunity pipeline stands at $250mn over the next 1-2 years.<br /><br /><span>Craig Reeves</span>, Founder of Prestige group commented:<br /><br /> “We believe it is timely for us to be bringing Business Finance Opportunities to investors. The US government has made progress in the battle against the COVID19 virus and many of the core sectors BFO lends to will be beneficiaries from projected increases in US government spending. In some respects, COVID19 has made investment and business decision making quite ‘binary’ in so far as it is easier to identify the winners in individual commercial sectors. The BFO portfolio provides debt-based exposure to American SMEs at a crucial period of economic growth, managed by a highly seasoned US-based team of finance professionals.”<br /><br /><span>Joseph Ingrassia</span>, Managing Member at Capstone Capital Group added:<br /><br /> “We are emerging from some very challenging times in the US smaller company private finance sector, but this part of the US economy looks set to improve its prospects. Many companies in areas like construction, for example, rely on private finance to operate efficiently. We are looking forward to playing an active role in helping America to rebuild.”</span></span></span></span></span></span></p></div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field.html.twig' --> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="flag.link_builder:build" arguments="0=node&amp;1=8284&amp;2=bookmark" token="yDtfZ6BD9NGYtO7If_3_RhTSh4e7-SSj_iVbwBSfQA0"></drupal-render-placeholder> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-author--features.html.twig * field--node--field-author.html.twig * field--node--features.html.twig x field--field-author.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field--field-author.html.twig' --> <a href="/author/greg-winterton" hreflang="en">Greg Winterton</a> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field--field-author.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-content-role--features.html.twig * field--node--field-content-role.html.twig * field--node--features.html.twig * field--field-content-role.html.twig * field--list-string.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-content-role field--type-list-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Content role</div> <div class="field__item">AlphaWeek Basic</div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field.html.twig' --> Wed, 02 Jun 2021 07:32:58 +0000 AlphaWeek Staff 8284 at https://www.alpha-week.com Prestige Funds Launches Dedicated Islamic Impact Fund https://www.alpha-week.com/prestige-funds-launches-dedicated-islamic-impact-fund <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--features.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--features.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>Prestige Funds Launches Dedicated Islamic Impact Fund</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--features.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--features.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span>Mon, 03/29/2021 - 12:56</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--features.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--features.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><span><span><span>U.K direct lender Prestige Funds has launched the ‘Premium Alziraea Fund’, a Shariah-compliant real assets and project financing fund targeted at the renewables and agriculture sector in the U.K.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>The new Cayman Islands-domiciled fund will invest in a diversified portfolio of secured asset and project-based finance projects many of which may be, or are backed by, the UK Government and will be investing across a broad portfolio of projects and small businesses with a focus on U.K agricultural, horticultural and rural small businesses which have historically operated with lower defaults than other sectors.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>“Premium Alziraea is our first Islamic - Impact financing product and is targeting an exceptionally important part of the U.K economy at a critical time in its ongoing development,” commented <span>Craig Reeves, founder of the Prestige group</span>. “Our portfolios often finance landowners who are taking food, farm and animal waste and turning it into bio-gas and electricity, projects in turn supported by the U.K government.”</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>The Fund’s Shariah advisor is Sheikh Dr Mohamed Ali Elgari, former Professor of Islamic Economics and a former Director of the Center for Research in Islamic Economics at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He is a member of numerous Shariah Boards of Islamic banks and Takaful companies worldwide.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Prestige has retained Dubai based, Kroma Capital Partners as its Middle East Distribution Partner; the Premium Alziraea Fund will target capital appreciation of 5-7% per annum (net) with target annualised volatility of 1% and will operates without using leverage or performance fees.</span></span></span></p></div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field.html.twig' --> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="flag.link_builder:build" arguments="0=node&amp;1=8012&amp;2=bookmark" token="8LFBpGkJ8pMQS04EJFm56ekbBvTNzCC6hZR5M8OUjA4"></drupal-render-placeholder> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-author--features.html.twig * field--node--field-author.html.twig * field--node--features.html.twig x field--field-author.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field--field-author.html.twig' --> <a href="/author/greg-winterton" hreflang="en">Greg Winterton</a> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field--field-author.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-content-role--features.html.twig * field--node--field-content-role.html.twig * field--node--features.html.twig * field--field-content-role.html.twig * field--list-string.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-content-role field--type-list-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Content role</div> <div class="field__item">AlphaWeek Basic</div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field.html.twig' --> Mon, 29 Mar 2021 11:56:13 +0000 AlphaWeek Staff 8012 at https://www.alpha-week.com Prestige Funds' Nucleus Commercial Finance Accredited By British Business Bank For Covid-19 Loan Scheme https://www.alpha-week.com/prestige-funds-nucleus-commercial-finance-accredited-british-business-bank-covid-19-loan-scheme <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--features.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--features.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>Prestige Funds&#039; Nucleus Commercial Finance Accredited By British Business Bank For Covid-19 Loan Scheme</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--features.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--features.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span>Mon, 01/25/2021 - 08:24</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--features.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--features.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><span><span><span>Nucleus Commercial Finance, one of the specialty lenders which manages several loan portfolios for direct lender Prestige Funds, has been accredited by UK government-owned British Business Bank as a provider of £200mn in loans under the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS). This tranche of capital is being provided by two large international investment groups and the Prestige group.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>The CBILS is designed to provide financial support to smaller businesses across the UK that are losing revenue or seeing their cash flow disrupted due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The scheme is operated via lenders which meet the British Business Bank’s strict eligibility criteria.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>The first 12 months of interest on any facilities under the scheme will be paid by the UK government as a Business Interruption Payment. The first tranche of £100mn was awarded to Nucleus in July 2020 and the second was formalised in December 2020. Nucleus says it plans to lend the additional £100mn before the scheme ends at the end of March 2021. Since Nucleus began its participation in this scheme it has received almost £1bn of new loan enquiries.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>Chirag Shah, CEO of Nucleus</span>, commented:</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>“Once the government loan schemes come to an end later this year there will be a significant funding gap in the UK. This is where Nucleus, as a fintech lender, will continue to play a vital role to bridge this gap and support businesses by providing the finance they need.</span></span></span><br /><span><span><span>“SMEs are now turning to alternative and fintech lenders as the first point of call due to our innovative solutions and ability to provide funds more quickly than high street banks. This tranche of funding will further accelerate this trend and cement our position as the leading fintech for SME finance.”</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Nucleus Commercial Finance acts as the originator and manager of thousands of loans using finance deployed by the Prestige operated ‘Commercial Finance Opportunities Fund’ (CFO). The company has assembled a market leading team of financial professionals from leading banks as well as investing in the latest technology to speed up loan approvals and management.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Nucleus has lent more than £1.7bn to UK SMEs since it was established in 2011 and makes loans in the range of £3,000 up to £50mn.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>Craig Reeves, Founder of Prestige</span>, added:</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>“The investment made over the past couple of years in Nucleus Commercial Finance’s technology (NCF) has now started to prove its worth. We are very pleased that one of our lenders has passed the stringent due diligence requirements to be approved as a provider of loans recognised by the British Business Bank. It is a hallmark of the considerable work already put in to make Nucleus a world class lending operation.”</span></span></span><br />  </p></div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field.html.twig' --> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="flag.link_builder:build" arguments="0=node&amp;1=7532&amp;2=bookmark" token="kvzISNxp3926r_bHuejHKgqkFNG4vpMaoYZ9g960UXU"></drupal-render-placeholder> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-author--features.html.twig * field--node--field-author.html.twig * field--node--features.html.twig x field--field-author.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field--field-author.html.twig' --> <a href="/author/greg-winterton" hreflang="en">Greg Winterton</a> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field--field-author.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-content-role--features.html.twig * field--node--field-content-role.html.twig * field--node--features.html.twig * field--field-content-role.html.twig * field--list-string.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-content-role field--type-list-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Content role</div> <div class="field__item">AlphaWeek Basic</div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field.html.twig' --> Mon, 25 Jan 2021 08:24:56 +0000 AlphaWeek Staff 7532 at https://www.alpha-week.com The UK SME Sector: A Lot Tougher Than It Looks in the Headlines https://www.alpha-week.com/uk-sme-sector-lot-tougher-it-looks-headlines <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--features.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--features.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>The UK SME Sector: A Lot Tougher Than It Looks in the Headlines</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--features.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--features.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span>Mon, 01/18/2021 - 08:53</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--features.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--features.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><span><span><span><span>As we move into 2021 many of the unknowns of 2020 have become the knowns of 2021 - the US election has taken place and we have a new president about to be sworn into office. An initial Brexit treaty has been negotiated and the UK has left the European Union. The UK is also leading the way in the deployment of new vaccines which signal the possibility of the end of the pandemic this year.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>As a private debt manager, we have to look to the fundamentals, however, and we see much to be encouraged about, with huge fiscal stimulus programs being rolled out in both the UK and US, our core markets. According to Goldman Sachs, the US is en route to 3%-4% GDP growth in 2021, with the UK forecast to see 5%-7% GDP growth.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><strong><span><span><span>A year of change and opportunity</span></span></span></strong></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>The UK market sets out in 2021 with manufacturing PMI at a three-year high. Preparations are afoot to host a G7 summit in the country as well as the important UN Climate Change Conference. It is going to be a year of change and of opportunity for businesses on both sides of the Atlantic.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>Investors often ask us about job losses in the UK and the state of the SME economy. The UK government has recognised the importance of the SME sector for economic growth and employment, hence the headline-grabbing stimulus packages that were rolled out by the Chancellor in 2020.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>According to the UK’s Office of National Statistics, aggregate national profit share (gross trading profits of the corporate sector) rose 23% to a record £126bn in the three months to September. For the first nine months of last year, according to the ONS, total corporate profits averaged £116bn a quarter, compared with £115bn in 2019. In other words, <em>companies in the UK were more profitable during the pandemic than before it.</em></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>While turnover has fallen, so have the bottom lines for many UK companies. Grants, tax deferrals and tax cuts, not to mention the employee furlough scheme, have all had a substantial impact on the UK corporate bottom line. This leaves many UK companies with the prospect of making considerable savings - the Office of Budget Responsibility expects UK companies to have saved around £30bn in cash in 2H 2020. Profits may be subdued, but many UK firms are now seeing bigger cash margins they can potentially deploy in 2021.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><strong><span><span><span>UK small businesses are resilient</span></span></span></strong></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>The UK small business sector has proved very resilient under the twin threats of both Brexit and the pandemic: according to Goldman Sachs, for every two businesses that have cut jobs during the pandemic, another has increased its employee base. Although 44% of firms have cut jobs last year, 62% have continued trading without interruption. This can be attributed in part to the fact that more than 80% of the UK economy is service-based and it is also the world’s second largest exporter of services after the USA.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>The financing of small businesses through government-backed schemes has played a critical role in helping to support small businesses through these trying times - 98% say government support has had a positive impact on small businesses, with 80% telling Goldman Sachs that the current support on offer from the government is enough to ensure their business survives. Not only that, but 59% say that current support levels are equipping them to growth their business in the future. Four out of five UK SMEs now feel they no longer require further government support to prevent further redundancies.<sup><a href="#_ftn1"><span><span><span><span><span>[1]</span></span></span></span></span></a></sup></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>How has the SME sector proved so resilient? Business owners have demonstrated their readiness to take on external finance, and they have proved dynamic enough to change their business models to meet the new challenges presented by the pandemic. Many business owners tell us that these changes are likely to prove permanent, as they further embrace new and dynamic operating models.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><strong><span><span><span>Brexit: removal of uncertainty will be beneficial for SME’s</span></span></span></strong></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>Brexit has also captured many headlines in the UK and Europe in Q4 of last year. For SMEs this has presented an additional challenge, and it is true there are some companies with heavy exposure to EU trade flows. But for the vast majority of UK SMEs Brexit will make little or no impact on the way they do business. Uncertainty has probably been one of the biggest worries for business owners.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>However, it is heartening to say that despite fears of a no deal with the EU throughout the course of 2020, less than 25% of SMEs were concerned about the negative impact of Brexit<sup><a href="#_ftn2"><span><span><span><span><span>[2]</span></span></span></span></span></a></sup>. According to a survey from accounting software provider FreeAgent, almost 60% of SME owners are not worried about their future, and the number that thought Brexit would have a negative impact on the economy has fallen steadily in the course of 2020.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>SME owners are refocusing their efforts on either trading within the UK, or trading with countries outside the EU itself. From the government, they want to see a further trimming of red tape and additional financial support in terms of grants and tax reductions.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>This positive narrative for SMEs is now being described as ‘surthriving’ - describing those firms that have embraced the changes forced upon them and have become more dynamic - according to data from FreeAgent only 21% of UK SMEs are now worried about the impact of Brexit, and 10% say the pandemic has <em>actually opened up new opportunities</em>.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>Last year was a testing time for many small business owners, but it has also proved that in the UK we have a diverse and opportunistic small business sector with the strategic support of a government that is prepared to do what it takes to shelter SMEs from the worst of the pandemic and pave the way for future successes in this sector.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>**********</span></span></span></span></p> <p><em><strong>Craig Reeves</strong> is Founder of <strong><a href="https://www.prestigefunds.com/">Prestige Funds</a></strong></em></p> <p><span style="font-size:11px;"><a href="#_ftnref1">[1]</a> Small Business Britain - The Impact of Covid 19 to Date (Goldman Sachs) <a href="https://www.goldmansachs.com/citizenship/10000-small-businesses/UK/infographics/small-business-britain/">Small Business Britain: The Impact of COVID-19 To-Date (goldmansachs.com)</a></span><br /><span style="font-size:11px;"><a href="#_ftnref2">[2]</a> Survey data based on 500 SME interviews by FreeAgent, October 2020</span></p> <p><em>***</em></p> <p><em>The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of AlphaWeek or its publisher, <a href="https://thesortinogroup.com/">The Sortino Group</a></em></p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-tags--features.html.twig * field--node--field-tags.html.twig * field--node--features.html.twig * field--field-tags.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/alternative-credit-guest-articles" hreflang="en">Alternative Credit Guest Articles</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/alternative-credit-private-debt" hreflang="en">Alternative Credit - Private Debt</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/directory/prestige-funds" hreflang="en">Prestige Funds</a></div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field.html.twig' --> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="flag.link_builder:build" arguments="0=node&amp;1=7494&amp;2=bookmark" token="wMzkYInrlzpM7qGxobf4LbriQ4QLHlfMLcSr60IUfek"></drupal-render-placeholder> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-author--features.html.twig * field--node--field-author.html.twig * field--node--features.html.twig x field--field-author.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field--field-author.html.twig' --> <a href="/author/craig-reeves" hreflang="en">Craig Reeves</a> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field--field-author.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-content-role--features.html.twig * field--node--field-content-role.html.twig * field--node--features.html.twig * field--field-content-role.html.twig * field--list-string.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-content-role field--type-list-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Content role</div> <div class="field__item">Public</div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field.html.twig' --> Mon, 18 Jan 2021 08:53:39 +0000 AlphaWeek Staff 7494 at https://www.alpha-week.com Don’t Be Distracted by Brexit Brinkmanship https://www.alpha-week.com/dont-be-distracted-brexit-brinkmanship <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--features.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--features.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>Don’t Be Distracted by Brexit Brinkmanship</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--features.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--features.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span>Fri, 09/28/2018 - 13:04</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--features.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--features.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><span><span><span><span>UK and international headlines prominently feature the ongoing negotiations over Brexit between the UK and the European Union, but as the angry rhetoric is leveraged upwards to secure a deal both sides will be happy with, so the narrative surrounding the health – or otherwise – of the UK economy is becoming misleading. A picture is being painted of business grinding to a halt because of political paralysis, but this is far from the case.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>As a fund manager specialising in the provision of private credit to thousands of UK SMEs in a variety of sectors, we have daily knowledge of the health and activities of the companies we lend to. This is essential if we are to be able to manage the risk in our portfolios. Our finance teams report a different situation entirely.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>A great deal of valuable investment work and business is carrying on. We are seeing record levels of deal flow and economic activity: Brexit does not often occur in the discussions that we have with some of the 5m SMEs active in the UK. Indeed, 92% of the UK SMEs we work with do not deal with other EU countries.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><strong><span>A growing SME sector</span></strong></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>The number of UK SMEs has expanded considerably since the Brexit vote in 2016, and that expansion is being supported in part by sound economic factors. There was an increase of 197,000 small businesses between 2016 and 2017 and according to the Federation of Small Businesses, the number of SMEs employing staff rose by 3% after the Brexit vote. Our generic SME lending business alone has lent more than USD200 million in the last 12 months. This does not look like a moribund part of the economy.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>The UK economic fundamentals have not been badly damaged by the Brexit negotiations. True, the British Pound jack knifes every time a politician makes a Brexit speech in London or Brussels (although other currencies including the Swedish Kroner have fallen more this year against the US Dollar), but UK unemployment has fallen consistently since 2016 and the UK 10-year government bond yield has remained lower than many other European nations and solid credit risks, including New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the USA.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>In short, our finance companies continue to see strong deal flow, exceptional activity in the critically important SME sector, and a community of businesses that seem focused on getting on with business, regardless of the political situation. We continue to provide vital finance to these firms through our private finance enterprises, fuelled to a large extent with overseas capital from major foreign investors who are not fazed by the Brexit vote.</span></span></span></span></p> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'filter_caption' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/filter/templates/filter-caption.html.twig' --> <figure role="group" class="align-right"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'entity_embed_container' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'modules/contrib/entity_embed/templates/entity-embed-container.html.twig' --> <div alt="Craig Reeves" data-embed-button="entity_browser_button" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{&quot;image_style&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;image_link&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;image_loading&quot;:{&quot;attribute&quot;:&quot;lazy&quot;}}" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5c33ce29-5757-4c6a-80e4-657aeb9b0860" data-langcode="en" title="Craig Reeves" class="embedded-entity"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_formatter' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/image/templates/image-formatter.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/image.html.twig' --> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Craig-Reeves.jpg" alt="Craig Reeves" title="Craig Reeves" typeof="foaf:Image" /><!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/image.html.twig' --><!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/image/templates/image-formatter.html.twig' --></div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'modules/contrib/entity_embed/templates/entity-embed-container.html.twig' --> <figcaption>Craig Reeves</figcaption></figure><!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/filter/templates/filter-caption.html.twig' --><p><span><span><span><span>Foreign interest in investing in the UK remains strong – institutional investment appetite for UK lending is high. At Prestige we have hosted 50 site visits from international investors over the last 12 months, from as far afield as Brazil, the Middle East, Switzerland, China, Japan, and South Korea. Since the Brexit vote we have raised more than USD500 million from overseas investors for exclusively UK-focused direct lending strategies. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>According to data from Intertrust, two thirds of institutional investors expect the private debt market to grow in 2018, while 36% plan to increase their allocation to private debt strategies. Intertrust also says that most investors favour direct lending over infrastructure debt or real estate debt. Loan finance and specifically direct lending is becoming a favoured avenue for foreign investment to be deployed in the UK. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>Between them, our finance companies, which carry out the day to day lending and credit oversight work, have lent almost GBP2 Billion Pounds to SMEs in the UK. This is a good indicator of the economic activity that continues regardless of the state of Brexit negotiations.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>The focus of many UK SMEs is very much on rising costs and access to credit, practical concerns where Prestige can support them. Our role now extends beyond pure lending to consulting with company management and designing solutions for companies that help them to become more productive and to upscale cash.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>As we tell our investors every day, we are confident of the health of the UK SMEs we are dealing with. Clearly when lending money one needs to know and understand the customer and sector, get as much security as possible and continue to monitor them. We understand the nuts and bolts of what makes them profitable and the markets they serve. The Brexit narrative that currently dominates headlines and forces knee jerk reactions from public markets does not, we feel, reflect the reality of the day to day world of helping UK businesses function to their full capacity.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>**********</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><em><strong>Craig Reeves</strong> is Founder of <strong><a href="https://www.prestigefunds.com/">Prestige Funds</a></strong></em></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><em>***</em></span></span></span></span></p> <p><em>The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of AlphaWeek or its publisher, <a href="https://thesortinogroup.com/">The Sortino Group</a></em></p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-tags--features.html.twig * field--node--field-tags.html.twig * field--node--features.html.twig * field--field-tags.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/alternative-credit-guest-articles" hreflang="en">Alternative Credit Guest Articles</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/alternative-credit-private-debt" hreflang="en">Alternative Credit - Private Debt</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/directory/prestige-funds" hreflang="en">Prestige Funds</a></div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field.html.twig' --> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="flag.link_builder:build" arguments="0=node&amp;1=1656&amp;2=bookmark" token="dec0ZUEOEYILg0V8ZxQzkRQztENjYUkBxdCsPH9c4-0"></drupal-render-placeholder> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-author--features.html.twig * field--node--field-author.html.twig * field--node--features.html.twig x field--field-author.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field--field-author.html.twig' --> <a href="/author/craig-reeves" hreflang="en">Craig Reeves</a> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field--field-author.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-content-role--features.html.twig * field--node--field-content-role.html.twig * field--node--features.html.twig * field--field-content-role.html.twig * field--list-string.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-content-role field--type-list-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Content role</div> <div class="field__item">Public</div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/gavias_vinor/templates/fields/field.html.twig' --> Fri, 28 Sep 2018 12:04:50 +0000 AlphaWeek Staff 1656 at https://www.alpha-week.com