OakNorth and Fintex Capital Form Strategic Partnership for Specialty Finance

OakNorth, the digital bank for entrepreneurs, by entrepreneurs and Fintex Capital today announce the formation of a strategic partnership for specialty finance, primarily focused on opportunities in the UK. The firms’ partnership is already live, so far with £20 million successfully deployed together.

The partnership combines OakNorth’s ambition to expand its footprint in specialty finance with Fintex Capital’s decade-long track record as a specialist investor in this arena. OakNorth and Fintex share a conviction in the increasing importance of supporting non-bank lenders and other specialist finance firms, to expand access to credit for SMEs, property owners and consumers whose needs are not always met by traditional banks.

Specialty finance means different things to different people. Fintex identifies it as financing activity that takes place outside the traditional banking system. Over the past decade, Fintex has successfully deployed more than £400 million into specialty finance, in senior and mezzanine facilities, primarily to support the growth of loan books of specialist lenders. In doing so, Fintex has built a strong track record across a variety of lending verticals, including SME lending, motor vehicle finance, buy-to-let mortgages, property bridging and consumer credit – across different market cycles, in the UK, Germany and the USA.

As one of the UK’s most successful and innovative digital banks addressing the persistent funding gap facing lower mid-market businesses, OakNorth has an impressive track record supporting specialist lenders and growing businesses in the UK. The bank supports numerous specialist lenders with loan-on-loan and structured finance facilities, and finances many growing businesses in the UK and beyond.

The firms’ complementary skillsets allow them to originate, structure, execute and finance opportunities across Specialty Finance. Whilst lending to lenders is an important pillar of the joint strategy, the parties’ ambition extends beyond this; it also encompasses opportunities in real estate credit, asset-backed finance, cashflow lending and other complex or special situations where deep underwriting expertise and a willingness to look beyond conventional lending can unlock attractive risk-adjusted returns. 

Mohith Sondhi, Managing Director of Debt Finance at OakNorth, said: “Specialty finance has become an increasingly important part of private credit. Yet, it remains a highly specialised asset class requiring deep underwriting expertise, sector knowledge and sophisticated structuring capabilities. Over the past decade, Rob and his team have built a highly respected franchise defined by experience, quality and integrity. As we looked to expand our presence in this sector, partnering with Fintex was a natural choice. Lending together, with interests aligned, we aim to support high-quality businesses and lending firms backed by resilient assets, predictable cashflows and strong management teams. Having deployed our first £20m together is testament to the strength of our relationship and the breadth of opportunities we see in the market. We’re excited by what lies ahead.” 

Robert Stafler, Founder & CEO at Fintex Capital, said: “We are delighted to partner with OakNorth, one of the UK’s most successful specialist banks. OakNorth has built an exceptional franchise and has established itself as one of the UK’s leading growth lenders. Together, our complementary capabilities allow us to originate, underwrite and execute complex credit transactions across the specialty finance spectrum. We are actively pursuing opportunities to deploy typically c. £10m – 40m per borrower. We look forward to supporting high-quality borrowers together, to expand access to credit across the economy.”

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