Credit Easing and SMEs Bonds: Why and How?

Date: 07.11.2011 09:30 - 11:00

Location: NESTA, 1 Plough Place, London, EC4A 1DE

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Fast-growing, innovative businesses hold the key to economic growth. But it is hard to expand a business without access to finance. Despite intense negotiations between the government and the banks, lending to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) has fallen dramatically since the credit crunch.

"Beyond the Banks" is a major collaboration between NESTA, the Daily Telegraph and Sam Gyimah MP to look at new ways of lending to small businesses.

This event focused on credit easing. On 3 October 2011, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that new measurers would soon be announced to increase lending to SMEs: these measures are currently being designed.

The panel included: Sam Gyimah, MP for East Surrey; Xavier Rolet, Chief Executive of London Stock Exchange which has launched a thriving retail bond market and Will King, Chief Executive of King of Shaves and issuer of one of the first SME bonds.