About Us

We provide independent thought, debt arrangement and structuring assistance for small-to-medium businesses, commercial and rural customers.

Term debt is where people primarily focus but we cover the whole business- bank ambit. We help prepare, and support credit applications. We have honest discussions to help your bankability; you cannot always point the finger at the bank.

We help with negotiating security and documentation and overseeing the process from start to finish for:-
• Term debt
• Working Capital
• Overdrafts
• Asset Finance
• Trade Finance
• Restructuring residential mortgage lending security
• Refinancing or switching Banks
• Mergers and Acquisition or sale of a business
• Construction Finance / development lending
• Commercial property lending
• Rural lending
• Outside the box lending that doesn’t meet normal bank lending criteria
The relationship between banks and businesses covers a lot more than simply debt.

Some questions to think about include:

  • Are your transaction banking facilities appropriate?
  • Do you have the right mix of debt / working capital/ and transactional and electronic banking facilities for your business?
  • Are they right priced, and are you providing too much security?
  • Do you have information at hand on bank funding costs to help with margin discussions?
  • Are your overdraft and seasonal facilities right sized for your operating cashflow cycle, and liquidity requirements?
  • Do you understand your interest rate and foreign exchange hedging, and is it fairly priced?
  • Do you have the right trade finance facilities?
  • Are you well placed to take advantage of open banking when it arrives?
  • How is margin by product / service and labour productivity trending?
  • What about financial scenario forecasting of gross margin, fixed costs, downside risks, and break even?
  • Cashflow for debt service – is there sufficient headroom in covenant setting and debt amortisation? Have you got the right covenants?
  • What is your forecast Value at Risk versus net profit, budget, foreign exchange movement, commodity price risk, interest rate risk, and input cost changes?

Through asking the tough questions we can help you get the right answers.

Gordon Stuart

BSc Chemistry BCom – Accounting, Chartered Member of IOD, Former member of NZICA.

I currently act as a business adviser / part time CFO to a number of SME’s, where I work to enhance governance oversight, risk management, financial reporting, understanding, and forecasting. Invariably this starts with chaperoning customers through a refinancing so they have the right banking facilities for their needs. It then extends to communicating their journey, and overseeing regular reporting to the Bank.

In my 30 year career I have had frontline and senior roles at BNZ, NAB London, and at ANZ managing Institutional workouts, then running a $2.5b Agri- Corporate Portfolio. I have worked through multiple recessions, restructured many businesses, managed relationships, led merger and acquisition deal teams, originated, structured, negotiated, documented, syndicated and executed complex transactions for the general corporate sector, property and the agribusiness sector. As a strong lateral thinker and problem solver who has worked both inside and outside the Bank my role is to bring independence, commercial acumen, and the knowhow to balance the David versus Golliath battle. This starts with making sure the customer has his/her “ducks in a row “and can communicate their story. It then moves to negotiating the right conditions, headroom and covenants to ensure we meet the Bank’s requirements and you are getting the right deal.

Tightly set covenants can trap the business if there is change. Growth can eat working capital and cashflow. Other factors can be just as, if not more important than price, particularly if you encounter tough uncertain times as Covid has brought us. It's hard to put a tangible value on having headroom or spare capacity in your limits and facility conditions. Having such liquidity buffers, as undrawn lines or spare overdraft capacity can protect you from defaulting on the banks' terms and conditions. This could be worth much more than any savings you might make by negotiating a rock bottom price.

Cameron Bagrie

Managing Director of Bagrie Economics and was formerly Chief Economist of ANZ New Zealand

Cameron is a Director of Chaperon and shareholder. Cameron is also the Managing Director of Bagrie Economics and was formerly Chief Economist of ANZ New Zealand. In his capacity as ANZ's Chief Economist Cameron gained extensive experience dealing with senior leaders and engaging with boards on economic developments and helping businesses meet their goals. He is a regular commentator in the media. Cameron brings an "economic" and "data" lens to Chaperon on issues such as bank funding costs and market conditions. He has 18 years' experience in the banking industry and has also worked at the NZ Treasury advising various Ministers of Finance. He is known as a straighter shooter and has a real passion for improving financial literacy across New Zealand and especially for kids, who he sees as the business owners of tomorrow.

Stan Wilson

BCom Economics Marketing Post Graduate Diploma in Finance

Stan has over 30 years in the finance industry in the areas of corporate lending and funds management. Before joining Chaperon, Stan held the role of Client Director, ASB Corporate Bank based in Wellington. Stan’s team were responsible for origination, structuring, executing and portfolio management for all forms of debt products including corporate lending, leverage, and acquisition finance. Prior to ASB, Stan was a Senior Equities Portfolio Manager for AMP Capital focused on valuing companies and creating valuefor his clients. Stan has also worked for various other Banks including Morgan Stanley in London where the focus was on tradable debt products. Stan brings a strong analytical and business model focus to Chaperon and has a strong desire to help companies make better business decisions.

Stan Wilson

BCom Economics Marketing Post Graduate Diploma in Finance

Stan has over 30 years in the finance industry in the areas of corporate lending and funds management.
Before joining Chaperon, Stan held the role of Client Director, ASB Corporate Bank based in Wellington.
Stan’s team were responsible for origination, structuring, executing and portfolio management for all forms of debt products including corporate lending, leverage, and acquisition finance.
Prior to ASB, Stan was a Senior Equities Portfolio Manager for AMP Capital focused on valuing companies and creating valuefor his clients.
Stan has also worked for various other Banks including Morgan Stanley in London where the focus was on tradable debt products.
Stan brings a strong analytical and business model focus to Chaperon and has a strong desire to help companies make better business decisions.

OUR STORY

Chaperon – Helping Business Navigate Banking – we are a B-2-Bank service.

If you are a business, a partnership, a corporate or a farmer you use an independent insurance broker who understands your needs and places your risk with the appropriate or best Insurer.
In NZ the consumer is now well served by Mortgage Brokers who act as Independent advisors on residential mortgage lending.

However who is there helping business owners fight what can feel like a David versus Golliath battle with their Bank? You can now outsource this role to us.

Real wealth creation going forward needs to come from the business sector, not just housing, and the ability to access credit is critical. Credit is more than 150 percent of gross domestic growth. It is the lifeblood that pumps through the economy’s veins.

As former bankers ourselves, we are the “Insiders”, now working on the Outside.

At Chaperon our aim is to protect and help the interests of both the business customer and the Bank.

We will ask the hard questions of both parties. Transparent Fair Banking solutions is our aim.

Post Covid, and with the new Responsible Lending Code - Banks now are required by law to give business owners a much tougher grilling.

A Business owner has to wear many hats and the rising regulatory burden meaning businesses often need external support from marketing to human resources to finance. At the same time Banks have been reducing key frontline staff meaning less direct contact with customers and rising frustration amongst businesses.

Business lending has more moving parts than residential house lending, and is therefore much more complex. Preparing your credit story takes time and experience.

We advocate for businesses with banks and financial providers.

We also recognise that while the finger is often pointed at banks, it can be far from one way traffic. Is your business really that bankable? What could improve that? Better bankability means better prospects for selling the business.

Are you set to take advantage of open banking so you get the best deal? Do you have bank funding information at your fingertips when it comes to refinancing credit margins? Are your transaction banking, working capital and foreign exchange solutions fit for purpose?

Our role is to educate, help business owners understand, be informed , and prepared to jump through the hoops bank's require.

Are you really that Bank Fit and Bank Smart?

You may feel like a little piggie having to jump through a ring of fire to get a loan.