Historically, underestimated SMEs have been heavily underserved by the finance sector, and often don’t have the same business characteristics that finance providers like about larger businesses and organisations. But there is one thing that all lenders have in common – the need to support healthy, growing businesses.

At the GFA Exchange, we provide award-winning client risk management technology that helps finance providers make access to finance more inclusive, with less risk, less cost, and more efficiency. By unlocking unique insights on their own clients business performance with lending, growth finance and investment processes, to supporting the development of inclusive ESG strategies, GFA Exchange helps our partners make more informed decisions to drive financial inclusion for all.

Joel Blake OBE. Founder & CEO, GFA Exchange 

Rebel entrepreneur, business leader, and public speaker, Joel is sought for his authentic ability to make inclusion actionable to transform organisations. 

With over 22 years experience of advising and consulting with blue-chip corporates, financial service firms, and government-led initiatives, Joel has also amassed global expertise in designing and implementing inclusive business and finance solutions for his partners, that uniquely balances commercial growth and sustainable impact.

He is the Founder& CEO of award-winning fintech startup GFA Exchange, and Founding Director of FIN, an emerging not-for-profit financial inclusion think-tank for the banking and financial services sectors.

He is also the former President of the Commonwealth Chamber of Commerce, the current Chair of the award-winning charity Employability UK and is a Non-Executive Director. In 2019, he was chosen as one of the Top 50 Most Influential Black Voices in UK tech, and was awarded an OBE for Services to Business Support and Enterprise in 2016.