Joseph Babalola

Joseph was a founding team member at Funding Bay, joining at inception and playing a central role in building the business from the ground up into an established alternative lending platform with a broad lender panel. That inside knowledge of how Funding Bay’s credit criteria, lender relationships, and deal structures have developed gives him a perspective on UK SME finance that no external hire can replicate.

Earlier in his career, Joseph worked in a regulated advisory capacity in equities and derivatives, holding FSA Cf-30 Approved Person status — a formal regulatory designation covering financial regulations, investment risks, and derivatives. Prior to moving into commercial finance, he also joined a fast- growing fintech lender at an early stage, contributing directly to its growth from early-stage lender to established platform.

This background, combined with an MSc in Finance and Investment from BPP Business School and an MSc in Business Management from the University of Leicester, underpins the analytical rigour and market-level thinking he brings to every client funding situation. Today, Joseph works directly with business owners to cut through the complexity of the funding market — structuring proposals that clearly meet lender criteria, and matching facility type, lender appetite, and deal terms to the borrower’s specific position and ambitions.