Robert James Eddowes

Address:“Penrhyn”,

Capel Gwyn,

Bryngwran.

Anglesey.

LL65 3RU.

Phone:+44 (0)1407 811069Home

+44 (0)7860 687000Mobile

E-Mail:

D.O.B:09.06.1955

Status:Married.

Career:

2013 -Independent ABL Consultant

1990 – 2013Risk Director and Statutory Board Director

Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance Limited

Banbury, Oxfordshire.

Commercial Finance are one of the leading UK ABL players, with a product range encompassing Asset Based Lending, Invoice Discounting, Factoring (historically under the brand name of Alex Lawrie), Small Ticket HP and Leasing, Payroll Finance products (under the brand name of CashFriday), and a range of International and Speciality products to the SME sector.

I am a Risk Management Professional, responsible for 7 direct reports and about 100 staff (FTE)

Specific accountability covers the areas of:-

  • Credit Underwriting ABL and Factoring, Domestic and International
  • Credit Underwriting HP and Leasing
  • Credit Underwriting Cash Friday and Supplier Finance
  • Client Audit Functions, Domestic and International
  • Operations Support (Bad Bank / Recoveries)
  • Internal Audit and Compliance
  • Credit Risk Modelling (including Basel)
  • Conduct Risk
  • Project sponsorship of all Basel activities
  • Contingency Planning
  • Credit Policy
  • Money Laundering
  • Complaint Resolution
  • Portfolio Management

Key Metrics include:-

  • Cost accountability in excess of £10m p.a.
  • Personal underwriting authority £50m
  • Client credit responsibility in excess of £4.0Bn
  • Client numbers in excess of 18,000

Achievements and Technical Specialisation (in no particular order)

  • Maintained the company bad debt provisions within budget levels for the last 22 years (ABL / Factoring) and 7 years HP / Leasing (since acquisition of that business)
  • Introduced and developed formal credit policy framework and culture
  • Developed one of the most efficient operational functions within the UK ABL industry (measured by Cost:Income ratio)
  • Significant strategic input into the development of the Commercial Finance business in both the UK and Internationally.
  • Close personal involvement in some of the largest “collect outs” in the UK – in particular from the practical collection and legal aspects (this has included 2 reported cases which have set precedent for the industry)
  • Led and conduced due diligence on company acquisitions (both successful and unsuccessful) – both for Commercial Finance and for the parent Bank
  • Pioneered the current mechanism for “Back-to-Back” funding in the ABL industry
  • UK pioneer in ABL transactions involving Real Estate, Inventory and Plant and Equipment
  • At the forefront of Cash Flow lending as an adjunct to ABL transactions
  • Trained in the US in ABL, and acted on lead syndicate in several syndicated / participated deals (UK, US, and Europe)
  • Whilst it was operating, a Member of the Supervisory Board for the Commercial Finance German Business
  • MBO financing specialist
  • Specialist in legal aspects of ABL (including being a named contributor in the Law Commission Report “Company Security Interests” 2005)
  • Involvement from an operational aspect on CCA changes and refocusing of HP product towards LTSB clients (Margin enhancement)
  • Contingency planning for multi site business and specific industry events (e.g. Foot and Mouth / terrorist attack)
  • Industry representation at DTI / FSA / EC meetings on Basel
  • Developed fully integrated risk assessment and scoring systems aimed at projecting business default in 12 month and 3 month time horizons
  • Sales experience in closing / selling solutions to complex transactions
  • Implementation and embedding of Conduct Risk concepts
  • Specific responsibility in the past for Client Relationship management; Management of a major IT project; and Integration of acquired businesses

Despite this seemingly technical list, I am a “get ones hands dirty” industry professional (widely recognised as such by many leading practitioners, Lawyers and Accountants). I operate to tight deadlines in a commercial manner, and am focussed on concepts of overall profitability, simplification, and business measures for the maximisation of capital utilisation.

Previous Career:

1985 – 1990Client Administration Manager

H&H Factors; Stockport

Relationship and Risk Management of northern portfolio; mainly small ID and Factoring transactions

1980 – 1985Client Liaison Executive

Alex Lawrie Factors Limited; Stockport

Relationship and Risk Management; very high volume of small Factoring clients

1977 – 1979Regional Administration Officer

Nature Conservancy Council – Bangor

A ‘graduate accelerated’ civil service posting

Education:

1979 -80Masters in Business Law

CityUniversity

Specialist ‘Masters’ in comparative European Business Law (MBA equivalent)

1973 – 1976BSc, Economics and Law Joint Hons

UniversityCollege of Wales, Aberystwyth

Membership:

Member of the Institute of Credit Managers (MICM)

Member of the Institute of Directors (MIoD)

Passions:

Serious Hillwalking / Cycling

Watersports

Carriage Driving

Smallholding

Narrow Boats

RJE Curriculum Vitae Page 1 of 411/04/2019