Falcon Group has opened an office in Sydney, Australia, headed up by former GE Capital employee, Paul Mitchell.

Mitchell was previously the general manager of business development distribution finance for Australia and New Zealand at GE Capital, where he was in charge of trade finance and extended terms programmes. His new role at Falcon will focus on helping suppliers and importers across supply chains and distribution sales channels to access liquidity.

“Australia is a developed lending market with many options for businesses looking for credit,” says Mitchell. “However there is a gap in flexible trading terms available for mid-market companies. This is particularly true for those mid-market firms that need to pay suppliers quickly, yet do not collect from their customers until much later, and are struggling to find competitive, low security options that support this need. Certainly, many suppliers in Australia wish to accelerate sales through offering extended terms to their distribution sales channels. Falcon has the expertise, and the resources, to fill these gaps.”

The Australia team also includes sales director Louis Edwards, who was previously a sales manager at GE Capital.

“We are delighted to have Paul and Louis on board as we make further forays into the Asia Pacific market,” says Will Nagle, Falcon Group CEO. “Certainly, the region has long-been a key market for Falcon Group and there is huge demand from corporates of all sizes for sophisticated funding solutions. The experience Paul and Louis have gained at GE Capital, combined with Falcon’s expertise and innovation, is just what we require to bolster trade growth in the region.”