OakNorth

As we kick off 2025, we’re building on the momentum of an incredible 2024 and sharing insights to help you hit the ground running this year. In this month’s newsletter: 🏢 Discover strategies for managing FX volatility in our upcoming webinar 📊 Gain insights from our Care Pulse Report 🌟 Read about inspiring journeys from STAR Capital and JMK Group

Dealing with FX volatility while striving for growth? Join us on Wednesday, 5 February, at 12pm for an engaging 40-minute webinar where we’ll explore how to turn currency risks into opportunities. Hear from Peter King, Director of Business Banking at OakNorth, alongside Mark Palmer, COO, and Ben Timms, Commercial Director at Hamilton Court FX, as they share actionable strategies to help you manage FX challenges, protect your margins, and scale successfully into new markets. Don’t miss out – register now: https://lnkd.in/dmmKssB5

We’re delighted to provide a £1.4m loan to support the redevelopment of a vacant residential and office building in central London. Located in the heart of Fitzrovia, just steps from key underground stations and London’s iconic attractions, this four-storey project will feature four fully refurbished one-bedroom apartments and two floors of modern office space. Led by Parag Sawheny (Penn South Capital) and Yoni Karako (Courtier Capital), this project highlights their expertise in creating value through strategic property redevelopment. Priya Harley, Director of Debt Finance at OakNorth, said: “This transaction represented an exciting opportunity to support a highly experienced team with their first UK real estate project. Both Yoni and Parag are industry stalwarts with very successful track records, and we’re delighted to fund the acquisition and redevelopment of their Fitzrovia site. We look forward to watching the development take shape over the coming months, as well as supporting Yoni and Parag on future projects going forward, as they look to build out their UK portfolio.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/eVt4TJ8k

We’re thrilled to see our customer, Paul Gray, CEO of MPS Care Group Ltd, share his journey and insights in the care sector with Care Home Professional. It’s inspiring to hear how MPS Care Group continues to grow and innovate. Last year, we were proud to provide them with facilities to refinance their care homes and support their future growth across the North West, North East, and East Midlands. Read the full interview to discover Paul’s thoughts on overcoming sector challenges, navigating growth, and what the future holds for the care industry: https://lnkd.in/emMfqYn8

Great to see our Co-Founder and CEO, Rishi Khosla, featured in the Tech Nation Report 2024: UK Tech in the Age of AI! Explore his insights and learn more about the role of AI in transforming financial services in the full report, available to download here: https://lnkd.in/eNHcfrCu #AI #GenAI #FinTech #UKTech

In 2024, we partnered with private equity sponsors across the UK, delivering over £300m in bespoke funding solutions across 10+ sectors (hospitality, leisure, technology, education, industrial and more). From buyouts to growth funding, our support helped unlock opportunities, drive innovation, and create lasting impact for these ambitious firms. A huge thank you to our team, whose expertise and dedication made these successes possible: London & South: Stuart Blair, Mark Challis, Andy Matthewson and Kabir Bhalla Midlands: Ian Fairclough North: Stewart Haworth, Stephen Dinsmore and Daniel Taylor Scotland: Michael McGregor We’re hitting the ground running in 2025, ready to support you and your clients with bespoke lending solutions. Get in touch via questions@oaknorth.co.uk to discuss how we can work together.

We're delighted to have partnered with REL Finance Limited to provide a £16.6M co-loan to the leading family-run hospitality business, JMK Group. From starting as a boutique hotel in Kensington in 2009, JMK Group has grown into a leading name in the UK and Ireland’s hospitality sector. This funding will help transform a Grade II listed office block in the heart of the City of London into a stunning 185-key hotel, pending planning approval. Deepesh Thakrar, Senior Director of Debt Finance at OakNorth, said: "JMK continues to be an incredibly strong family business, with ambitious plans for the future. This transaction represented an exciting opportunity to facilitate a new deal with an existing customer, that has built up an excellent portfolio and track record for creating highly successful hotels, across the UK and Ireland. We look forward to continuing to support the Group with its future growth, in particular with acquisitions of new assets to further strengthen its portfolio.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/ebtrJrrq

A record-breaking end to 2024 🎉 In December alone, we lent over £420m – more than we’ve lent in a single month since 2021 and over 60% increase on our previous peak. While many were in holiday mode, we stayed focused on supporting businesses, bringing our total lending for the year to an incredible £2bn+. We’re incredibly grateful to our customers who chose to partner with us and our team who made this happen. Here’s to continuing to back ambitious businesses in 2025 and beyond! 

Listen to Deepesh Thakrar, Senior Director of Debt Finance, on The Lock In Pub Podcast by The Morning Advertiser, as he shares insights from our latest Hospitality & Leisure Pulse Report. From evolving consumer trends to post-budget growth strategies, hear how the pub sector is shaping up for 2025. Tune in from 00:56:30: https://lnkd.in/euTz7_jS

As another year draws to a close, we want to thank the ambitious businesses and individuals who have trusted us to support their growth and goals. From innovative, high-growth companies to savers planning for the future, it’s been a privilege to be part of your journey. We’re also proud to reaffirm our 1+1% Commitment this holiday season – dedicating 1% of our group profits to charitable causes and 1% of our team’s time to volunteering, mentoring, and pro bono work. Here’s to a joyful holiday season and a 2025 filled with opportunity, growth, and success 🎄