Industry veteran joins Compass Business Finance to strengthen engineering market presence

Respected industry expert Chris Cooke and his brokerage business have joined Compass Business Finance, strengthening the company’s position in the engineering and manufacturing sectors.

Having approached Chris at the beginning of last year, Compass Business Finance recognised both his unmatched experience in the engineering finance space and the possibility that he might be considering the first steps towards retirement. Chris, however, was far from ready to step away. Impressed by Compass’s continued growth within the engineering sector, as well as the company’s customer-first ethos and commitment to making finance straightforward, he saw a natural alignment.

“It was clear from the outset that Compass were doing things the right way,” says Chris. “No nonsense, no over‑complication, just genuine people putting customers first. That resonated with me. Joining Compass has allowed me to keep supporting the suppliers and customers I care about, while also helping the next generation come through. I’m genuinely excited for what’s ahead.”

Chris brings decades of industry knowledge, starting with an eight-year toolmaking apprenticeship, followed by roles at machine tool manufacturer Hurco and 14 years at Close Brothers, where he rose to Sales Director. Since founding his own brokerage in 2016, he has become one of the most trusted names in engineering finance.

In his new role with Compass, Chris will continue to support customers and suppliers, while also mentoring and training Compass’s emerging sales talent – an increasingly important part of the business’s long-term strategy.

“Chris is someone we’ve admired for a long time,” says Mark Nelson, Director at Compass Business Finance. “His integrity, technical understanding and commitment to doing right by customers set an industry benchmark. Bringing him into the business strengthens our engineering offering and supports the development of our future team. We’re delighted to have him on board.”

Chris will also be joining the Compass team at the MACH 2026 exhibition (Birmingham NEC, 20-24 April), where he will be available to meet customers, suppliers and industry partners.

“MACH has always been a key event for the sector,” Chris adds. “I’m looking forward to being there with Compass and catching up with familiar faces.”