SME funding provider Accelerated Payments today announced the appointment of Steven Conrad as Vice President of Business Development for North America.  Conrad brings over 20 years of experience to the role and will be instrumental in managing the regional growth of the company. He will be based out of Toronto.  

An internationally experienced, multi-disciplined professional, Contrad is a proven leader with career highlights in business development, strategic marketing, finance, audit, HR, communications and change management. He comes into the role with valuable board level experience and a track record of consistently achieving results in challenging corporate environments. 

The new hire comes hot on the heels of last month’s appointment of Industry veteran Neil McMillan as Head of North America and is a strategic move for Accelerated Payments, as it beefs up the size of its local staff to accelerate the fintech’s regional dominance in the alternative finance sector.   

Commenting on Conrad’s strategic role in the company, Ian Duffy, CEO of Accelerated Payments said: “We are delighted to welcome Steven to the team.  He has a proven track record for success and a reputation as a dynamic and strategic thinker. His experience in leading and influencing change in organisations has also consistently delivered results in improving client focus and developing more efficient internal operations. This skill set will be extremely valuable to our company as we continue our rapid expansion into North America.” 

Founded in 2017, Accelerated Payments is one of Europe’s fastest growing fintechs. It provides finance to businesses with an immediate need for working capital to fund new opportunities for growth or keep the show on the road while they wait to get paid. The company’s industry leading platform makes it simple, affordable and quick to access funds in less than 24 hours.  Based in Dublin, with offices in London and Toronto, the company has reported more than 56,000 invoices financed to over 300 companies since it began.

“This is an excellent time to enter the US market and AP is primed for success as invoice financing gains momentum among fast growing companies as a viable option for working capital,” said Conradm “AP’s deep expertise in the US and its hands-on approach to customer support has played a pivotal role in its growing popularity, and in the coming months I will looking forward to helping the firm win more clients across North America - particularly those wishing to expand locally and internationally. Joining AP is a tremendous opportunity for me to play a role in shaping the world of alternative finance and helping to provide much needed liquidity to great companies that are ripe for growth but are not supported by the traditional banking system. ”