12 profile


Bowled over by new Thames Valley role


Jon Stradling might have been born in South Wales, but he has spent the majority of his life living in and around the Thames Valley, which is why it is only fitting that he has now taken up the reins as head of corporate banking Thames Valley for HSBC


Stradling has been with the bank for 25 years, originally joining the retail banking branch in Oxford’s Cornmarket Street. Since then he has worked across the group, taking in private equity, commercial banking, head office, credit and finance roles and most recently, running the home and eastern counties corporate banking team out of the Milton Keynes office.


His latest career move marks a return to HSBC’s Thames Valley Corporate Banking Centre in Reading, where he won the ‘Corporate Banker of the Year award in 2008 and worked as a team head with responsibility for major plcs and large businesses.


He also has another reason for enjoying his return – as a flat green lawn bowler who has represented England, he honed his skills on the greens of Berkshire and now plays for Reading and the county.


In his new role, Stradling’s team looks after businesses with a turnover of between £30 million and £4 billion, a remit which takes in everything from privately-owned companies through to some of the largest plcs across the region.


“One of our key differentiators is that, as one of just nine standalone corporate banking centres in the UK for HSBC, we have complete autonomy on the decisions that are made,” he said.


“We offer everything from core banking services such as day-to-day cash management, through to M&A advice, supporting public companies with their equity raising and the use of debt capital markets.”


Stradling and his colleagues also work closely with HSBC’s portfolio of private equity sponsored businesses and commercial banking teams. The former is headed by Richard Povey, across the south of England who, for the past two years has been voted Corporate Banker of the Year at the annual Thames Valley and Solent Deals Awards; while Andrew Brattesani’s team is responsible for businesses from £2m to £30m and is the fourth largest of all the bank’s commercial centres in the UK.


In addition, a new business team of three www.businessmag.co.uk


senior banking professionals plays a key part in building relationships with potential new clients and the professional community.


HSBC’s 'joined up' approach also pays dividends for clients worldwide. Stradling explains that the bank’s global reach supports both UK companies embarking on the international trail and those looking to invest on these shores.


“By leveraging the strength of our international brand, we can help businesses which are growing globally and, most importantly, we can co- ordinate those activities from our Reading office,” he said.


“For example, if a company from the Thames Valley is looking to enter a new overseas market and needs advice or banking facilities, we are likely to be able to provide those more efficiently and cost effectively than other financial institutions, whether they may be in the UK or locally based.


“Likewise, given that the Thames Valley remains a key inward investment destination for the UK economy, if an overseas parent company has UK or European banking needs in the region, we have a dedicated team which can help.”


The 45-strong corporate banking team is sub-divided depending on the turnover of the client and, although the centre has some 200 client relationships, Stradling stresses that portfolios are kept deliberately small (eight to 25 relationships) in order to ensure proactive solutions and personal client service, aligned to client needs. The relationship managers are all supported by locally based product partners, who cover areas such as payments and cash management, treasury, international trade, invoice finance and personal and private banking.


HSBC’s international strength and its understanding of the global economy – enhanced by its Global Connections programme – means the team can make introductions into new markets, both in the developed world and emerging markets.


Its depth of expertise is evidenced in a recent report by the bank’s senior global


THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – MARCH 2013


economist Karen Ward. Entitled “The world in 2050”, it forecasts a three-fold increase in world output, with growth accelerating on the back of the emerging economies.


While China and India will be the largest and third-largest economies together with the US, it will be the likes of Mexico, Turkey, Indonesia and Egypt, vying for top positions. The UK is likely to be fairly successful at maintaining its Top 30 ranking, while some European countries will be on the decline.


At a local level, Stradling refers to the dynamics of the Thames Valley economy as “very compelling” and says his goal is to reach out to the business and professional community and show how HSBC can help, both domestically and internationally.


“Against this challenging economic backdrop, my ambition is to support our existing clients and build our market share by talking to privately-owned companies, plcs and private equity backed businesses, enabling them to see how we can help them develop and grow stronger for the future, both at home and overseas,” he concluded.


Details: Jon Stradling 0845-584-0672 jonathanstradling@hsbc.com www.hsbc.co.uk


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