Folk2Folk, a UK peer-to-peer lending platform that operates physical locations, says it is boosting its focus on institutional money. To accomplish this goal, the company has hired Joanna Chan as Head of Strategic Capital. Chan, who joined the company in 2029, moves into the new position from her previous role as Head of Portfolio, where she oversaw Folk2Folk’s SME loan book and led the firm’s post-completion and recoveries teams.
Previously, Chan worked at BNP Paribas, where she specialized in credit strategies and trading, working closely with institutions.
As many online lenders who dealt with retail money in the past have learned, scaling operations is difficult without tapping into institutional funds. It is also easier to manage a single large lender than many smaller investors.
The shift towards more institutional funding is driven by CEO Kawai Chung, who joined Folk2Folk in 2025.
Chung commented that broadening the funding base is part of their core strategy. He said that Chan is ideal for leading the initiative.
Founded in 2013, Folk2Folk claims the title of the largest peer-to-peer lender in the UK by cumulative lending. Since its inception, the company has originated over £810 million in lending to SMEs.
Business loans start from £100,000 and are secured against land or property, typically with a maximum loan-to-value of 60%.
Investors may earn a monthly fixed payment based on an 8.5% per annum interest rate.