Join our Business Masterclass Series for expert guidance and valuable insights and experiences shared by fellow business owners.
Metro Bank Business Masterclass Series
ABOUT THE MASTERCLASS
Sponsored by Metro Bank, these financial and business banking workshops are designed for businesses who want to hear insights on starting out and scaling up, as well as shared experiences from business owners.
We'll guide you through the often-complex maze of business finance, looking at the vital aspects of financial wellbeing, starting up your business and scaling growth. You'll hear experiences from female business owners, discover the range of funding options to grow your business, and explore AI.
SCHEDULE
Wednesday, 12th November 2025
- 11.30am - 12pm: Championing Female Leadership in Business.
- 12.30 - 1pm: The Business of AI: Disruption, Opportunity and What's Next?
- 1.30 - 2pm: Start-up to Stand out: Marketing your business to drive growth.
- 2.30 - 3pm: How to Fund your Business: Options, Access and Getting it Right.
Thursday, 13th November 2025
- 11.30am - 12pm: Championing Female Leadership in Business
- 12.30 - 1pm: The Business of AI: Disruption, Opportunity and What's Next?
- 1.30 - 2pm: Start-up to Stand out: Marketing your business to drive growth
- 2.30 - 3pm: How to Fund your Business: Options, Access and Getting it Right
AT A GLANCE
- Listen to inspiring stories from female entrepreneurs and business owners
- Discover funding options to scale-up and grow your business
- Get insights and tips on how to drive growth through marketing
- Explore how AI is impacting the world of business
- Hear from leading experts in financial services
ABOUT THE SPONSOR
We're an award-winning independent UK bank offering business, commercial, corporate, private and personal banking services. Since launching in 2010, we've been committed to doing things differently, revisiting a time when banking was a lot more human. We believe a bank should be more than just a place to store your money, it should be your financial partner for everything life brings. This is Relationship Banking.
Meet the Team
Mark Davies
Director of Commercial Banking
Mark started at Metro Bank in September 2014, leading the sector specialist teams which include healthcare, hospitality, non-bank financial services and franchise. Prior to that, he worked at RBS for 26 years and has worked in business and commercial since 1995.
Mark currently heads up the Commercial team at Metro Bank across England and Wales which comprises of Relationship Managers, Commercial Lending Specialists and Business Development Directors. The team supports the commercial market - known by banks as the ‘forgotten middle’, which is essentially those businesses that are the larger ‘S’ and smaller ‘M’ of SMEs.
The team is sector ‘agnostic’ with specialisms in acquisition finance between £1-5m lending, healthcare and hospitality, and is in the process of developing an expertise in manufacturing.
Kerry Reynolds
Director of Retail and Business Banking
Kerry Reynolds is the Director of Retail and Business Banking at Metro Bank. Her extensive career in UK financial services and commercial banking spans more than 35 years. Within the bank, Kerry’s team works closely to support SMEs and provides relationship banking products and services to more than 200,000 UK business customers, across 75 stores, with a national team of 49 directors.
Kerry is particularly passionate about championing female business owners who are looking to start-up and scale up their enterprises and is part of the senior leadership responsible for the Investing in Women Code, of which Metro Bank is a founder signatory.
Rachel Hill
Local Director, Chair of the Investing in Women Code Committee
Rachel is the Local Director for The Black Country and Worcestershire at Metro Bank, where she’s spent the past six years helping SMEs thrive. With over 12 years’ experience in business and commercial banking across Lloyds Bank and Metro Bank, she’s built a reputation for creating strong, lasting relationships with local business owners and supporting them with growth, lending, and tailored financial solutions.
Passionate about championing female entrepreneurs, Rachel is the National Chair of Metro Bank’s Investing in Women Code Committee, leading initiatives to improve access to finance for female founders. She’s also a regular speaker at industry events and hosts networking opportunities designed to empower women in business
Aidan Moore
Business Development Director
Aidan is the Business Development Director at Metro Bank, covering the Thames Valley and London area. Having joined Metro Bank in 2015 as an apprentice in the Guildford store, he quickly progressed to Business Manager before moving into the Large Trading Businesses and Corporate team five years ago.
With a strong background in commercial and corporate lending, Aidan specialises in supporting businesses with their growth plans, providing tailored solutions to help them scale and succeed. Drawing on a decade of experience in the banking sector, Aidan is passionate about building long-term relationships and championing local businesses across the region.
Danielle Lee
Director of Brand and Marketing
Danielle is Director of Brand and Marketing at Metro Bank, where she leads brand strategy, growth and customer marketing. A creative innovator with a commercial edge, she has an extensive career in brand-building and transforming marketing functions for both household names and challenger brands in the UK and Australia. Her career spans global names such as Barclays, Virgin Media and Estée Lauder, where she drove brand development, customer-focused solutions and breakthrough advertising efficiencies that delivered measurable results.
Passionate about people as much as performance, Danielle is known for creating environments where teams can thrive while achieving ambitious growth. Blending creativity, data and technology, she brings energy, vision and commercial clarity to every challenge—always with the aim of building brands that resonate and inspire.
Jim Higginbotham, CEO – NACFB
Jim Higginbotham joined the NACFB as Chief Executive Officer in October 2024, bringing with him more than 30 years of commercial finance expertise. Prior to this role, he served as Group CEO at STAR Asset Finance, where he oversaw transformative growth, centralised operations, and strengthened risk management. His senior leadership positions at Lombard, Barclays, and GE Capital have provided him with a broad and deep industry perspective. At the NACFB, Jim is focused on strengthening support for Members and Patrons while championing professionalism and high standards across the UK’s commercial finance sector.
Ben Thomas, Founder and CFO of Covecta
Ben Thomas is the Founder and Chief Revenue Officer of Covecta, a pioneering agentic AI company transforming how Financial Organisations tackle manual and complex tasks. Covecta’s purpose-built agents and advanced search capabilities are redefining productivity across financial services, such as through their partnership with Metro Bank to integrate agentic technology into financial teams and workflows.
With over 15 years of experience leading digital transformation in banking, Ben has held senior roles at Accenture, McKinsey, and Mambu. His career reflects a deep commitment to driving innovation in financial services, helping institutions harness technology to deliver efficiency and value.
Beyond finance and technology, Ben is a keen rugby fan and enjoys spending time outdoors, often found hosting friends and family around the BBQ.
Scott Wilson, Founder and CEO of Covecta
Scott Wilson is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Covecta, a pioneering agentic AI company transforming how Financial Organisations tackle manual and complex tasks. Covecta’s purpose-built agents and advanced search capabilities are redefining productivity across financial services, such as through their partnership with Metro Bank to integrate agentic technology into financial teams and workflows.
Scott has held multiple leadership positions across Finastra and Mambu, in both Europe and the US. Prior to Covecta he headed the EMEA region for Mambu, helping 3x Mambu’s growth during his tenure. When not leading Covecta he can be found riding his motorbike around the Surrey hills.
