Darren Hallmark, Business Development Director in Paragon’s Transport Finance team, discusses how he got involved with asset finance, what he enjoys most about the sector, and how Paragon can support brokers to deliver for their SME clients.  

What is the benefit for brokers of working with Paragon?

Paragon has both the products and the experience necessary to deliver on a wide range of deals. Whether it is single assets or complex, structured multimillion-pound credit lines – we are ready to work with partners to develop the right financing package for your customers.

Thanks to having experienced Business Development Managers who understand the assets, products and requirements of SMEs and brokers, we can be creative and develop bespoke solutions. When brokers contact Paragon, it is not a case of putting an opportunity it into a system and crossing your fingers, our team will work with you directly to understand how we can support businesses.

What advice would you have for brokers?

With the continuous changes to the rules and regulations governing lending, the level of detail required to secure funding has increased. This ultimately is positive for customers and brokers alike and my advice would be very much to work with us on this detail to get the best possible outcome first time for all parties.

How did you get started in asset finance?

I’ve been working in asset finance for nearly thirty years, thanks initially to an administration role with what was then North West Securities, which ultimately become Bank of Scotland. It was a great ‘proving ground’ for many of us still in asset finance.

I didn’t know anything at all about the sector at the start of my career, but I’ve never looked back. From there I went on to be part of one of the largest independent brokerages in the UK,  before joining Paragon in April 2016.

What do you enjoy most about your role?

The variety is fantastic. In a single day you can be going from talking with partners about hire purchase package for a new fleet of vans to working on a structured £5 million credit line. 

It’s also a pleasure to work with people and businesses from across the country. Paragon and our partners have an essential role to play in ensuring SMEs can access the necessary finance to grow and support the economy – and if you have a deal in mind, I look forward to hearing from you.

Visit our website to learn more about how our Asset Finance team works with intermediaries.