Bibby Factors Sussex has appointed Paul Brewster as its new sales manager.

The appointment follows a year in which the company has shown huge growth with client numbers increasing to more than 150 small-to-medium-sized businesses and staff numbers up from 12 to 32.

The Hastings company is now the largest within the Bibby Group, which has a turnover in excess of £1 billion.

Paul, 37, who has worked in sales for commercial finance companies in the area for the past 14 years, said: "Factoring is one of the fastest growing financial services industries in the UK with more than 25,000 client firms and a turnover of more than £60 billion last year. It is starting to replace the bank overdraft as a first choice for small businesses looking for business finance."