Two business bankers will be based in Bradford as part of regional expansion plans by Santander UK Corporate Banking.

The move comes after Santander increased business lending by 71 per cent in 2010, lending £353 million to regional businesses – which it equalled in the first three-quarters of 2011.

Regional director Neil Williams has responded to growing demand by recruiting several relationship directors, including David Stuart and Keith Smith who operate from Santander’s key branch in Darley Street.

He will also appoint customer-facing relationship directors in Doncaster and Wakefield to add to Santander’s three existing corporate business centres in Leeds, Hull and Sheffield, which employ around 30 staff.

Mr Williams said the bank was taking a pro-active approach and calling prospective business clients and also winning business from competitors. Mr Stuart and Mr Smith and the other new relationship directors will deal with companies with revenues of between £250,000 and £25 million.

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