United Trust Bank builds a vendor finance team
UTB has hired Steve Gee to build a new vendor finance business, followed by Jon Gee and Joe Silva to lead its finance for materials handling dealers.
By James George Recruitment, 11 November 2026
United Trust Bank (UTB) is building a new vendor finance business, working with equipment dealers and manufacturers so they can offer finance to their SME customers. Over the autumn it has made three hires to do it, all with Close Brothers in their background.
Steve Gee, commercial director of asset finance
In September 2026, UTB appointed Steve Gee as commercial director of asset finance, Mortgage Solutions reported on 23 September. He joins after 26 years at Close Brothers, most recently as chief executive of its industrial equipment division, and his job is to build the vendor finance business.
The new business is based in the North West and works across the UK, focusing on manufacturing, construction, transport, materials handling and print. Nathan Mollett, UTB's managing director of asset finance, described Gee as one of the most experienced and respected people in UK asset finance. Gee said the new vendor finance operation was a key reason he joined.
Jon Gee and Joe Silva, materials handling
On 16 October 2026, UTB announced two more appointments to develop finance for materials handling equipment (MHE) dealers:
- Jon Gee, Head of Materials Handling, who spent 18 years at Close Brothers and became Sales Director there.
- Joe Silva, Regional Dealer Manager, who has 10 years' asset finance and MHE experience with BNP Paribas and Close Brothers, most recently as Regional Finance Manager in the MHE sector.
The offer covers contract hire, with or without maintenance, and hire purchase, as well as funding for dealers' own short and long-term hire fleets. UTB says it is also building a digital portal for dealers, expected around the end of 2026 or early 2027.
Why it's worth knowing
New vendor finance businesses need people who understand how dealers and manufacturers work, and UTB says it is building specialist teams for this one. If vendor or dealer finance is your area, see our captive and vendor finance jobs.
Sources
- Mortgage Solutions, UTB hires Gee to launch vendor finance division, 23 September 2026
- United Trust Bank, United Trust Bank Asset Finance appoints Jonathan Gee and Joseph Silva to develop materials handling finance business, 16 October 2026