Meet The Team
Dave Ottley
Managing Director
Dave is the MD of Balance and enjoys life in the Sunny South West after relocating from near London in early 2000. After a long career in banking working for both Barclays & HSBC, he started Balance following the credit crunch in 2008, determined to give his SME/Property contacts a local supportive presence across all areas of business & property funding.
He has built a wide range of professional contacts to support the ever-expanding Balance client base and always ensures that clients are put at the very centre of everything the company does. Adopting the mantra of “Facta Non Verba” (deeds not words), he strives to lead the company to service excellence, at all times.
Away from work, Dave has a passion for football and all sports in general and up to very recently has been involved in active managerial roles within the local non-league football pyramid.
Mandy Goord
Lending Support Manager
I joined the team at Balance just over 11 years ago following a career break to bring up my two children. Before this, I had a ten-year career in retail management both in London and Plymouth where I held Area Management roles, responsible for the trading performance of a number of large stores in the South West.
My role with Balance for Business as a lending support manager involves the management of all cases, taking our clients through the lending process from application to completion, endeavouring to provide the highest level of customer service to ensure a smooth and ‘hassle free’ experience.
My time outside of the office has become less busy in the last couple of years as my children are now fully fledged adults, however I still have a very water and mud mad Springer Spaniel to keep me busy!
Karen Ottley
Compliance Assistant
Karen joined the Balance team soon after its inception in 2011 and has been our Compliance Officer, since 2019 following a long career in the banking sector. She ensures that we provide an excellent standard of compliance in line with FCA guidelines and general processes.
Away from work Karen enjoys family life and some exciting hobbies including paddle boarding, roller skating and has also achieved a black belt in kickboxing.
Dan Place
Business Development Manager – Property Investment & Development
Dan joined Balance in September 2019 as our first full-time apprentice after studying at Ivybridge Community College. He has been supporting our team of commercial finance specialists whilst studying towards a level 3 apprenticeship with City College Plymouth, which he completed in October 2022. Dan now has his own portfolio of clients that he manages to a high standard and he also assists the team with processing applications through to completion.
Away from the office, Dan enjoys football, where his talent took him to trial with EFL Championship club Middlesbrough but now plays locally for fun with some mates. He has also recently taken up travelling with his other half and is excited about seeing the world first hand.
Jo Penhaligon
Business Development Manager – Leisure Sector
As an experienced professional in funding for over 35 years currently specialising in the Leisure and Park Sector, I am pleased to be part of the Team at Balance. After many years still enjoy the achievement of getting deals over the line and delivering the right result for my clients. When out of office lucky to enjoy being an Equestrian. Let’s kick on and get the job done.
About Us
As commercial finance brokers, Balance for Business Limited is a member of the National Association of Commercial Finance Brokers who are authorised & regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Whilst we are not a principal lender, we source funds for our clients from an extensive panel of banks and other financial institutions to ensure you get the most appropriate deal.