Member Spotlight: John Darkes, Business Development Manager, Barclays

Introduce Yourself

I’m John Darkes, a Business Development Manager within Barclays, specialising in helping brokers and other introducers access funding solutions for their clients ranging from £50,000 to north of £50 million. I cover all commercial sectors and can place deals anywhere in the UK for lending products including Commercial Mortgages, Healthcare, Agriculture, Property investment, property development, SIPP/ SSAS lending, GGS, Invoice Finance etc.

I work closely with professional introducers such as brokers, accountants, corporate finance advisers and business owners across the North West to support them introducing debt deals into Barclays.

I am a Husband to my Wife, Alison, and a father to two teenagers. Our family includes a dog called Pheobe, a cat called Harry, and a horse called Tommy (which my wife and daughter ride and look after (I am not a confident horse rider but I am good at mucking out a stable).

Outside of work my main hobby is track day riding on my motorcycle.

Career Highlight

One of the highlights of my career was to “fly balance” the business till at the Manchester Mosley Street branch of Barclays back in 2006 after a particularly busy day. For those who have been a bank teller, managing cages of coins as part of their till, you will understand the reference.

More recently, I have found success is not just about completing transactions but building long-term relationships that continue to generate value for clients and introducers alike. Its always great to work together on a particularly complicated case and find an acceptable outcome for everyone.

Name three words that describe your personality

Approachable, Driven & Collaborative.

What’s the best thing about pro-manchester?

The strength and quality of its network. Pro-Manchester brings together decision makers, advisers and business leaders from across the region, creating genuine opportunities to build relationships, share knowledge and support the growth of the local business community.

It’s one of the few organisations where valuable introductions and meaningful conversations happen naturally.

What are your priorities for 2026?

My priority is to continue supporting Brokers and Introducers across the Northwest with their growth ambitions by providing their clients with access to funding and strategic banking support. I’m particularly focused on strengthening relationships with professional introducers and expanding my network by bringing more NorthWest based Brokers and introducers onto my panel.

I also want to help more Brokers and introducers understand the funding options available to their clients through Barclays, whether they’re investing in property, expanding operations, funding acquisitions or refinancing existing debt, there is many ways of structuring a deal in the most optimal way for a client.

What Do You Think Are the Most Important Things Going on in Manchester at the Moment?

Apart from Andy Burnham putting Manchester on the world map by having a Number 10 of the North, Manchester continues to establish itself as one of the UK’s most dynamic business and investment hubs. The ongoing investment into infrastructure, commercial property, residential development and regeneration projects is creating significant opportunities for businesses across multiple sectors.

At the same time, many businesses are actively looking for growth capital and funding solutions to support expansion, acquisitions and investment plans, making access to the right advice and banking support more important than ever.

Favourite Meeting Place in Manchester

Manchester has no shortage of excellent venues, but I find the best meetings are often less about the location and more about the quality of the conversation. Manchester has a professional but relaxed atmosphere and is ideal for catching up with clients and contacts over a coffee, lunch or even a beer.

Are There Any Particular Types of Businesses That You Would Like to Meet?

I am always keen to connect with Brokers/ introducers in the North West looking to support any commercial client with their lending needs. Areas of growth in Barclays in terms of our lending balances:

• Real Estate investment and development
• SIPP/ SSAS lending for commercial property purchase. Investment and owner occupied.
• Commercial mortgages across the board
• Agriculture
• Healthcare
• Mid corporate sized deals

A conversation doesn’t necessarily need to start with a lending requirement, as building long-term relationships often creates opportunities over time.

Get In Touch:
Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johndarkes/
Business Development Manager, Barclays
Supporting brokers and introducers