Brighten appoints new head of commercial lending

Publication Date: Monday, 11 October 2024
This article originally appeared in The Adviser.

The non-bank has announced a new appointment as part of its continued expansion into the commercial space.

Brighten has announced the appointment of Ben McKell as head of commercial lending, a newly created role that will see the non-bank lender continue to expand commercial offering.

McKell boasts more than 20 years’ experience in commercial and business banking, including senior roles at non-bank Pepper Money and majors Westpac and Commonwealth Bank of Australia.

In the announcement, Brighten highlighted McKell’s “extensive expertise in structuring complex deals and driving growth, combined with his deep understanding of broker and lender needs”.

He joins another recent appointment Katarina Topalovic, previously senior credit manager at Thinktank, who joined Brighten as new commercial lending manager in September.

McKell started in his new role on 30 September, reporting to Chris Meaker, Brighten’s director and head of distribution.

Meaker said the growth of the non-bank’s commercial distribution would help “accelerate the company’s expansion and reinforce its leadership in non-bank lending”.

“Brighten is committed to continuous investment in our people and systems, and strong leadership is the key to driving our success. With Ben’s expertise and our deep understanding of our brokers, we’re confident that our solutions-based offering can meet the evolving needs of both brokers and customers,” Meaker said.

Brighten currently offers Full Doc, Alt Doc, Lease Doc, and Brighten Lift, a short-term commercial loan.

“Commercial loans have often been seen as complex, but we’re dedicated to simplifying the process for brokers. We are also strong advocates for education, helping brokers who want to expand into the commercial space and diversify their businesses,” Meaker said.

McKell said he was excited to be joining the non-bank lender at “such a transformative time”.

“Brighten has a proven track record of reshaping non-bank lending, and I’m thrilled to be part of the journey to bring that same innovation to the commercial sector,” McKell said.

“I’m passionate about business banking – understanding the customer, their business, their purpose, and their vision. I look forward to working with the team to support the growth of Australian small businesses.”