Secure Trust Bank Plc Selects Flexible Banking System Aurius to Support Its New Business Venture

Secure Trust Bank Real Estate Finance has chosen Sword Apak’s core banking system Aurius.

Secure Trust Bank PLC is an established UK bank. Its diversified lending portfolio focuses on core products of unsecured personal lending, motor finance and retail finance. It has also developed lending solutions for the small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) market.

With specialist property lending capability already built in to Aurius, much of the functionality needed for day one was already available. Because of this the team at Secure Trust Bank Real Estate Finance has been able to benefit from Sword Apak’s ‘off the shelf’ style interim solution.

The security of Sword Apak's clients is paramount. Through SaaS delivery and with ISO27001 and ISO9001 accreditation, Secure Trust Bank is able to access the system from anywhere, safe in the knowledge that client data is securely protected.

Sword Apak’s key consultants and technical experts worked closely with the team on site. This enabled them to configure and embed the new system so it was up and running in a short timescale. This quick implementation has further supported the early growth of the business.

Aurius has a range of in-built functionality to support development finance. The system is very configurable which reduces the time taken to set up new business areas. So Aurius will support every stage of the loan life cycle.

"As our business expands to meet the demands of our clients, we need a robust and flexible finance solution which stands up to the rigours of an ever-changing market.” Roy Aston, Chief Technology Officer, Secure Trust Bank, is confident Sword Apak’s offering is right for the business. "Sword Apak’s Aurius banking platform fits our brief. As well as being responsive to our requirements, the company has the professional capability and technical expertise to deliver and support a great solution.”

"Sword Apak is in a great position to support the needs of Secure Trust Bank,” says Mark Elliott, Director of Banking, Sword Apak. "Secure Trust Bank joins a growing number of specialist UK banks to benefit from the Aurius banking platform. We expanded the team by over a third during 2014 with further recruitment planned during 2015 and beyond, to ensure we continue to offer an excellent service to both our new and existing clients.”

About Sword Apak

With over 35 years’ experience as a leading provider of financial systems, Sword Apak has developed Aurius using its extensive knowledge of working within the banking technology sector. Sword Apak delivers business focused and technically advanced solutions to a range of banking and financial services institutions.

Please visit www.sword-apak.com for more information.

About Secure Trust Bank

Secure Trust Bank is a longstanding established UK bank. Its core business is to provide banking services including a range of lending solutions and saving products. It also provides fee-based current accounts to UK customers who may not be adequately served by other banks.

The Company, which was incorporated in 1954, operates from its head office in Solihull, West Midlands, has been a subsidiary of Arbuthnot Latham & Co., Limited since 1976 and a subsidiary of Arbuthnot Banking Group PLC since 1985. Arbuthnot Banking Group PLC owns a 51.9% shareholding in the Company.

The Company successfully listed on AIM on 2 November 2011. In June 2012 the Company acquired Everyday Loans Holdings Limited and its subsidiaries. Everyday Loans is a provider of unsecured loans operating through a national network of 31branches where loans are advanced, serviced and collected.

In September 2012 the Company became the first bank in the UK to be awarded the Customer Service Excellence Award, whilst in the following month the Company was awarded a 4 star Fairbanking Mark for its current account.

In December 2012 the Company placed 1,481,482 shares on AIM, raising gross proceeds of £20.0 million. The Company acquired the V12 Finance Group and the trade and assets of the Debt Managers Group in January 2013. In June 2014, the Company placed 2,083,333 new Ordinary Shares with institutional investors which raised gross proceeds of £50.0 million.

The Company’s diversified lending portfolio focuses on unsecured personal loans, motor finance, retail point of sale finance and more recently SME lending activities. Its lending is entirely funded by customer deposits, with no exposure to wholesale funding. Secure Trust Bank PLC is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority

Secure Trust Bank, PLC, One Arleston Way, Solihull, B90 4LH

Please visit www.securetrustbank.com for more information.

For more information, please visit www.sword-apak.com