Rising demand for non‑property‑backed SME finance has prompted Octet to ramp up its broker‑focused sales firepower.
Octet, the fintech and non‑bank working capital lender, has added Richard Hanson and Ben Howell to its ranks as it responds to rising demand from commercial finance brokers and Australian SMEs for non‑property‑backed funding solutions.
Octet said it had expanded its sales line‑up over recent months with two senior additions, pointing to a steady rise in demand from commercial finance brokers and Australian SMEs for facilities that are not tied to real estate.
Hanson will oversee NSW for the group under the title of director of working capital solutions.
The lender said that Hanson brought around three decades of experience to the position.
He began his career in London in the late 1990s before relocating to Australia roughly 15 years ago, with Hanson having since held senior posts at Moneytech and ScotPac.
Octet said Hanson’s day‑to‑day focus would be to support brokers and their business clients with structures, such as invoice finance, trade finance, and supply‑chain facilities while helping execute its broader growth agenda in the state.
New role to deepen Connective alliance
Octet also confirmed that the NSW appointment followed a structural change at the national level.
In March, the lender installed Howell in a new role of national business development manager – Connective, created specifically to build out its white label partnership with the aggregator.
Before joining Octet, Howell served as a senior business development manager for NSW and the ACT at Prospa.
It said Howell had been working with Octet’s state business development managers and key broker partners across the country to lift usage of the Connective offering.
Both senior moves sit behind Connective cash flow, powered by Octet, which slots into Connective’s own product suite while being funded by Octet.
Octet and Connective said the product provided access to trade, debtor, and term loan facilities and emphasised that the funding was designed to cover practical needs, such as paying suppliers, smoothing invoice timing gaps, and buying stock.
According to Octet, the timing reflects a broader industry shift, with intermediaries accounting for an estimated 30–40 per cent of national commercial lending volumes.
Octet said SMEs were increasingly seeking working capital facilities that kept day‑to‑day activities on track as credit conditions tighten.
[Related: Connective announces white label deal targeting SME lending gap]
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