Newport-based Henry Howard Finance has beaten off tough competition to secure itself a place as a finalist in the Best Use of Technology category of the first Growth Finance Awards.

The awards launched this year to celebrate companies providing 'more than finance' to the UK’s growing businesses.

The Best use of Technology award highlights the growth finance providers who have optimised their products and improved their offering through the innovative use of technology.

Over the last 12 months HHF, which has its head quarters at Langstone Business Park, has been busy creating a new version of its online leasing application, HowApp, and through a £1m plus investment our technology, are proud of its ground-breaking capabilities which will lead the way when it comes to technology in finance as a result.

Anne Williams, chief operating officer at Henry Howard Finance, said: "Technology now lies at the forefront of everything we do here at Henry Howard Finance, making it easier and more efficient for our customers to do business. We provide first-class asset finance origination capability, portfolio management, analytics and risk management, all of which is underpinned with a robust and secure infrastructure.

"Behind the scenes, more than 10 per cent of our employees now sit within our IT and technology department in order to make this happen, working alongside a team of business analysts to ensure we are working with real-time data and that all our integral systems are automated.

"Throughout all of our technology developments however, it is people who remain at the heart of our decisions. Our customer experience is first class, our staff get the support that they need, our partners save time due to automated systems – and our funders like what we are about and are supporting us.

"The use and importance of technology and our customer service excellence underpin all of our growth capabilities here at Henry Howard Finance, which continue to be as successful as they are ambitious. We wish good luck to the other shortlisted companies for this award and we look forward to the ceremony on September 11 at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, London."