5 May 2015

GLI Finance invests £1.25 million in SME credit broker Funding Options

GLI Finance Limited ("GLI" or "GLI Finance"), a leading investor in the alternative finance sector, announces that it has invested £1.25 million in return for a 28.9% stake in the ordinary equity and £0.75 million of preference shares of SME credit broker Funding Options Ltd ("Funding Options"). GLI Finance Chief Executive, Geoff Miller, will also join Funding Options' board of directors.

Funding Options uses proprietary online technology to scan the alternative finance market for the most suitable funding options available. Mixing sophisticated matchmaking tools, accessible expert support and practical education materials, Funding Options has helped UK SMEs to access tens of millions of pounds in vital funding. Funding Options has applied to HM Treasury for designation as a neutral platform, which would mean that SMEs rejected for bank finance can be referred to it.

Geoff Miller, Chief Executive of GLI Finance said: "Funding Options is a great business using sophisticated matchmaking technology alongside expert support and I am delighted to welcome them to the GLI family. Funding Options exemplifies how brokered alternative finance can be invaluable for small businesses trying to navigate an ever expanding range of financers, having referred UK SMEs to more than fifty alternative lenders in the past year."

Conrad Ford, Founder and Chief Executive of Funding Options: "We are excited to be partnering with GLI and Geoff's team. Our vision is to be a one-stop-shop for small businesses with financing needs, no matter how challenging, urgent or unusual. We look forward to working with the GLI family of investments, finding synergies and learning from their deep understanding of the alternative finance sector, both in the UK and globally."

-ENDS-

Contact:

GLI Finance Limited

Geoffrey Miller

D: +1 203 916 0003

M: +44 7408 830719

Ed Gascoigne-Pees / Hazel Stevenson (Camarco)
D: +44 203 757 4984 / 89
M: +44 788 4001 9499 / 798 600 9720

Funding Options

Conrad Ford

M: +44 7740707235

About GLI Finance Limited(www.glifinance.com)

GLI Finance is a specialist provider of finance to small and medium sized enterprises and is quoted on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange (ticker GLIF). GLI Finance both invests in loans to SMEs and originates finance for SMEs through a variety of finance platforms.

The platforms in which GLI Finance is invested vary by geography, industry, size of lending and by type of lending. They include global trade finance, UK and US SME lending, offshore lending, UK invoice discounting, European invoice discounting, global multi-asset crowd funding and UK property-backed lending.

About Finding Options Limited (www.fundingoptions.com)

Using proprietary online matchmaking technology, Funding Options is a one-stop-shop for business finance, in the last year referring SMEs across the UK to more than fifty alternative lenders.