Posted: Monday, 21 September 2026 @ 10:18
This year, Rivers has been delighted to become an endorsed lender by The Guild of Business Finance Professionals, representing independent business finance intermediaries and brokers throughout the UK.
The Guild of Business Finance Professionals and its mission
The Guild was founded as a not for profit, unincorporated association of individuals who have all agreed to form a collective, and who have signed a Charter which outlines their purposes in today’s market. Meanwhile, its individual founder members are in the employ of and represent independent business finance intermediaries and brokers throughout the UK and are united in their determination to promote more robust professional business ethics.
It is their desire to maintain the best possible benchmarking standards in the industry for both the lenders and corporate borrowers, primarily SME’s, in their marketplace. In a continually changing, complex and challenging landscape, they consider that proper guidance, honesty and clarity of direction when assisting business owners in sourcing their financing requirements, has rarely been more necessary than it is today.
Together, their mission is to support a more open and honest financial market, in which corporate borrowers are clearly signposted towards experienced professional intermediaries who can identify and source appropriate solutions for them, such that a higher degree of trust and respect can exist between all market stakeholders.
The team behind the Guild
The Guild's board is elected by members and individuals hold office for a period of 12 months. They are further supported by a Steering Committee that collectively manages the day-to-day affairs and business of the Guild. This year, key members include:
Stephen Bassett, Chairperson
With over 50 years’ experience in the asset finance industry, Stephen has worked as a lender, a broker intermediary and represented the sector with a national trade body. He brings his vast knowledge and experience and shares it freely with our members.
Trevor Pirie, Vice Chairperson
With 40 years' experience working in the business finance sector, Trevor has been vocal about his view that this is the first time he has seen a community of such highly skilled individuals unite to provide UK business owners with access to an unparalleled resource of knowledge, experience and capability.
Amanda Stevenson, Treasurer
As the owner of an intermediary business herself, Amanda proudly advocates the hard work and diligence that all the Guild's members apply when working with their customers to help them secure the best-fit finance solution for their business.
What it means to be a lender endorsed by The Guild of Business Finance Professionals
Being endorsed by The Guild of Business Finance Professionals is a privilege for Rivers, not only in and of itself but because we know the calibre of people behind the Guild and its values. We both respect and admire the values and skills that they uphold and embody, and we also share them and strive to personify them as well.
Rivers Chairman, Ratan Daryani, says: "At Rivers we have always valued our broker relationships as an essential part of our business, and we continuously strive to be representatives of a responsible, as well as dynamic, industry that proactively helps the UK's SME businesses to thrive. The endorsement from the Guild embodies those ideals and it's our great pleasure to be involved with the team and the institution."
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