Muse Finance, a UK-based working capital business finance provider, has appointed Julie Ashmore as its Chief Operating Officer (COO). Ashmore, previously the CEO of NatWest Rapid Cash, brings over 30 years of experience in the SME banking and finance market. She will lead Muse’s sales, operations, user experience, and risk functions, with the goal of reaching 30,000 customers and providing £1.5 billion of SME financing in the next three years.
Facts
- Julie Ashmore, former CEO of NatWest Rapid Cash, has been named the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Muse Finance.
- Rapid Cash, launched as an alternative to overdrafts by NatWest, offered businesses a flexible line of credit to cover unpaid invoices up to £1 million.
- Ashmore successfully grew the client base of NatWest Rapid Cash more than 700 times during her three-year tenure.
- Before joining NatWest, Ashmore held leadership positions at GrowthStreet, HSBC, and Bibby Financial Services, accumulating over 30 years of experience in SME banking and finance.
- Ashmore is also an adventurer and explorer, having climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and skied to both the North and South Poles.
- Ashmore will be speaking at the FinTech Futures 40th Anniversary Summer Party in London on July 6, sharing her incredible experiences.
- At Muse Finance, Ashmore will oversee the lendtech’s sales, operations, user experience, and risk functions. The company aims to serve 30,000 customers and provide £1.5 billion of SME financing within the next three years.
- Muse Finance, founded in 2020 by Ann Marie Juliano, offers non-dilutive working capital solutions for UK business owners through the buy now, pay later (BNPL) for businesses and invoice finance.
- In 2022, Muse raised a $20 million debt facility, bringing its total amount raised to $96 million. The company plans to hold a Series A funding round in 2023 and expand its operations to the US.
- Muse Finance had previously appointed Tarek AbdelKader as its Chief Technology Officer (CTO) in the spring of 2022.
