Premium Credit, the award winning specialty finance provider, is pleased to announce that Stewart Ward has joined the business as UK Director, Education.

He takes up the role having gained 23 years’ industry experience in senior, sales focused positions (over 15 years specific to education) within the Corporate Banking divisions of Barclays, RBS and most recently Santander as a Business Development Director.

Stewart will lead Premium Credit’s Education division, including oversight of its School Fee Plan (SFP), a market leading finance facility serving the independent schools sector. SFP enables parents to spread the cost of school fees over convenient monthly payments rather than having to pay in one lump sum whilst providing schools with the fees upfront in a compliant manner, preserving cashflow.
As well as developing existing propositions, Stewart will also play a critical role in realising the business’s ambitions for growth through new opportunities.

Jennie Hill, Premium Credit’s Chief Commercial Officer, Specialist Lending comments: “We are delighted that Stewart is joining to lead our Education team - he is a highly motivated corporate and commercial banking specialist with extensive leadership experience.

He has spent the majority of his career dedicated to supporting both the education and wider public sector and as such has significant understanding of the needs and challenges faced by Independent schools and more widely across education as a whole. He has a deep personal commitment and passion for ensuring the ongoing success of the sector, something he will bring to the School Fee Plan business as we look to accelerate and grow this business over coming years.”

Jennie adds: “Stewart will be a great asset to our Specialist Lending business as he leads the Education team to deliver our strategic plans, focusing on our school partners, their parents and their specific school fee financing needs.”

More information about School Fee Plan can be found here