LIMERICK social entrepreneur John Moran has been appointed non-executive chairman of GRID Finance, the cash-advance lending company to micro and small businesses.
GRID, which has an office in Limerick, was one of the founding volunteer organisations behind the SME support scheme ‘Lean on Me’ which provided an online platform to raise over €100,000 in voucher sales for local businesses struggling with Covid restrictions
Mr Moran, who is former Secretary General of the Department of Finance and former director of the European Investment Bank, said he was looking forward to helping GRID implement their plans to scale their world class SME support platform.
“During the SME Recovery campaign, I saw the passion and determination that GRID have to help small and micro businesses grow and become financially stronger. These businesses are the backbone of the Irish economy right across the country,” he explained.
“GRID itself is a small business like those it supports but it is clear to me that it has enormous potential to grow to be not just an important Irish business but a key support for businesses across the EU and beyond”.
GRID chief executive Derek Foley Butler said the company is positioning itself for growth and to play a key role in supporting the recovery of businesses as the Covid restrictions are relaxed.
“We have ambitions to support as many as 10,000 businesses by the end of 2023.
“I am delighted to continue to work with John to achieve this rapid growth of GRID in Ireland and elsewhere. Through the SME Recovery campaign that I launched in 2020 to support the SME sector, John and I worked closely to ensure that the SME sector got the government support it needed to weather the pandemic.
“With John on board as non-executive chairman he will provide vital strategic input and expertise that will be invaluable as we continue on our journey to help SME’s build their financial health and well-being. We already have a number of exciting initiatives and plans for 2022 and beyond’
