SWIG Finance has announced the promotion of Nicola (Nic) Parker to the position of Lending and Markets Director.
The appointment, which comes just four years after Nic was promoted to Senior Business Manager, recognises her increasing contribution to the strategic development of the business.
This new role will see Nic taking responsibility for leading, developing, managing, and coordinating loan origination and delivery.
She will continue to lead the SWIG Finance Business Loans team and ensure effective delivery of the company’s growing loan funds for SMEs in the South West region. This includes building a broader market and network access.
Nic joined SWIG Finance in 2019 with more than 20 years’ experience in financial services, which includes 15 years’ experience in the social finance sector, where she has been instrumental in driving social value for smaller businesses across the South West.
Nic has a strong background in relationship management, which has been a key contributor to driving the SWIG Finance brand forward in recent years.
In the past year alone, she has doubled SWIG’s commercial broker network and led the integration of new technology to streamline lending operations.
During her time at SWIG Finance, Nic’s commitment to delivering long-term value for SMEs and communities has helped transform access to finance for under-served businesses, establishing the company as one of the UK’s leading Community Development Finance Institutions (CDFIs).
Of her appointment, Nic commented, “I’m proud to have joined the SWIG Finance board in my new role as Lending and Markets Director. It’s an exciting opportunity to contribute to SWIG’s ongoing growth and its evolving role in the market.
I look forward to further developing our loan funds and exploring new opportunities to support businesses across the region. I’m grateful for the ongoing support from the entire SWIG Finance team as I step into this next chapter.”
SWIG’s MD, John Peters, said “Nic is an integral part of our success story and thoroughly deserves this promotion. It’s fantastic to witness team members flourish and take increasing responsibilities. I am very happy for her.”
Nic’s promotion comes during a period of sustained growth for SWIG Finance, which achieved record levels of lending in the last year. The company is the appointed Fund Manager for the British Business Bank’s £20m South West Investment Fund (SWIF) Small Loans, as well as being the provider of a £10m facility through the Community Investment Enterprise Fund (CIEF),
The SWIG Finance team and board of directors are delighted that Nic will be using her experience and expertise to support the future development of the company, and we wish her the very best in this new role.
About SWIG Finance
SWIG Finance is a people-based lender that provides loans and support to help smaller businesses in the South and West Country grow. We base our lending decisions on potential rather than collateral, which means that we can often support businesses when others can't.
We’re growing every year. In 2024/25, we lent £14.8m to 501 businesses, helping to create and secure over 1,272 jobs and generate £75.7m in social impact. Download the report here.
If you’d like an informal chat about your funding requirements, get in touch with our friendly and professional team to see how we can help: info@swigfinance.co.uk / 01872 227 930