In conversation with... Simon Bayley

What was your journey to your role today, would you say it’s been a typical career path?

Mine wasn’t typical, in my 17 years at GE Capital, I chose to take on roles that expanded my breadth rather than focusing on one discipline only. So, although my background was mainly commercial, I took on roles in operations, risk and strategy to help develop a wider understanding of the business as a whole, which has been key to supporting my move into my role today.

If you weren’t working in credit and financial services, what would you be doing?

I would like to have worked in manufacturing, I feel seeing a product out in the world that you had a small part in helping it get there would give a different level of satisfaction than you get in a service industry.

What is something that not many people know about you?

I have had various holiday jobs through school and university, and I can usually win any competition for the strangest or most unpleasant job.

What is the most significant challenge facing the credit/financial services industry today?

Ambulance chasers... there is without doubt a place for ethical consumer support organisation that help consumers and are able to identify poor practices and hold them to count which will be in every industry. But the spurge of companies only in it to make quick money and move on, leaving an industry with significant costs and consumers with higher prices is not helping or supporting the consumer.

Which session or theme at Credit Week are you most looking forward to, and why?

AI is moving at speed; this can offer some amazing advancements in productivity and customer service but also deliver significant risks in consumer fraud.

What trend or development are you excited about in the credit / financial services sector?

The CCA reform is effective will allow the motor finance industry to start being more inventive with building new products which are mainly blocked by the rigidity of the existing CCA.

What do you hope to take away from Credit Week 2026?

Credit Week is the best networking opportunity of the year, where there’s time to meet and have great conversations. Meeting new people and learning more of where we are as a business vs. the rest of the industry

What advice would you give to someone who’s starting their career in the industry?

Ignore the so-called career ladder and focus on roles that support your learning. Even if that’s seen as a sideways move, it will benefit your longer-term career aspirations.

Join Simon at Credit Week 2026!