KRAKOW, Poland, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Bizcap, a global non-bank provider of fast, flexible and safe funding solutions for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), is exploring Poland as a potential new market as part of its strategy to expand lending operations across Europe.

The move builds on Bizcap's growing European presence, with operations launched in Luxembourg in July 2025 and lending expanded into Germany in October 2025. Since inception, Bizcap has funded more than $5 billion globally and now operates across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, the UK, Europe, and Canada.

With a team of more than 200 staff worldwide, the company has built a proven model focused on fast approvals, flexible funding structures, and a broader credit assessment approach designed to support SMEs that are often underserved by traditional lenders. Bizcap will enter Poland as one of the fastest-growing non-bank lenders globally, seeking to create jobs and invest significant funds into the local economy.

Bizcap's model is designed to help SMEs access capital quickly when timing is critical. Unlike traditional lenders, it blends advanced technology and a human-centric approach to assess credit and can often provide approvals in as little as three hours. The company also works closely with brokers, advisers and referral partners to deliver funding solutions suited to business needs.

As part of this next phase of growth, Bizcap has appointed Oskar Kowalski as Managing Partner to lead Bizcap's expansion strategy across Eastern Europe, with an immediate focus on Poland.

Poland presents an attractive opportunity, with a strong SME sector and growing demand for alternative funding where traditional bank processes can be rigid or slow. Bizcap believes these market dynamics align strongly with its proven non-bank lending model and create a compelling opportunity to assess product-market fit in the region.

"Oskar has been closely connected to Bizcap since our early days and understands both our vision and the opportunity ahead," said Zalman Blachman, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Bizcap.

"As we continue to scale globally, we're focused on identifying markets where our model can genuinely support small businesses and where there is strong product-market fit. Poland represents a compelling opportunity as we evaluate our next phase of European expansion," he said.

Kowalski, who is originally from Poland and spent most of his life in the US, is now returning to the country and will lead Bizcap's on-the-ground exploration of the market and broader regional opportunities.

"Poland is one of the fastest-growing economies in Europe – a true brain powerhouse, driven largely by small and medium businesses with thousands of ambitious entrepreneurs looking to grow. There is a clear opportunity to explore how Bizcap's fast, flexible funding solutions could support that ecosystem," he said.

Kowalski brings more than 15 years of experience across investment banking, private equity, venture capital, and alternative finance. He has a long-standing relationship with Bizcap – he co-founded NewCo Capital Group, Bizcap's US affiliate.

He also previously co-founded Luxemark Capital, now LM Capital Solutions, in 2017, the first merchant cash advance syndication platform of its kind, which facilitated more than $1 billion in funded advances since inception. The company was acquired by CCUR Holdings in 2019.

A two-time recipient of Poland's Outstanding Pole Abroad Award by Teraz Polska Foundation, Kowalski is a frequent public speaker and has been featured in Forbes and Bloomberg.

Blachman said Bizcap's exploration of Poland reflects the company's disciplined approach to global growth and its commitment to supporting SMEs in markets where access to capital remains a challenge.

"SMEs are the backbone of every economy, and our focus is on identifying regions where we can responsibly scale and support business growth with fast, flexible access to capital," he said.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/global-non-bank-lender-bizcap-eyes-poland-as-sme-funding-demand-grows-in-europe-302736703.html

Der Asset Manager GAM stellt die Weichen für eine Neuaufstellung seines Verwaltungsrats. An der ordentlichen Generalversammlung vom 12. Mai 2026 in Zürich sollen die Aktionäre über ein weitreichendes Paket an personellen Veränderungen abstimmen, das im Rahmen der Nachfolge- und Kontinuitätsplanung erarbeitet wurde. Im Zentrum steht der Vorschlag, den bisherigen Verwaltungsrat Anthony Maarek als Präsidenten des Gremiums zu wählen und damit die Nachfolge des nicht mehr zur Wiederwahl antretenden Amtsinhabers Antoine Spillmann zu regeln.

Neben Maarek beantragt der Verwaltungsrat die Wiederwahl der bisherigen Mitglieder Inès de Dinechin, Anne Empain und Donatella Ceccarelli. Neu in das Gremium einziehen sollen Group CEO Albert Saporta, der seit Juli 2025 an der operativen Spitze von GAM steht, sowie der Investmentexperte John Niel als nicht-exekutives Mitglied mit Schwerpunkt auf Technologie, Telekommunikation und digitalen Plattformen. Alle Mandate sind bis zum Abschluss der ordentlichen Generalversammlung 2027 befristet.

Im Zuge der Neubesetzung verzichten neben Spillmann auch Carlos Esteve und Jeremy Smouha auf eine Wiederwahl. Der Verwaltungsrat soll künftig aus sechs Mitgliedern bestehen, gleichermassen verteilt auf drei Frauen und drei Männer. Nach Einschätzung des Unternehmens verbindet die vorgeschlagene Struktur Fachkompetenz, Erfahrung und Unabhängigkeit mit einer ausgewogenen Geschlechtervertretung. Die Integration von CEO Saporta als exekutives Mitglied soll zugleich die Verzahnung von operativer Verantwortung und strategischer Steuerung vertiefen.

Nicht folgen will der Verwaltungsrat einem alternativen Antrag eines Aktionärs, der die Wahl von Benedetta Arese Lucini anstelle von Anne Empain fordert. Verwaltungsrat und Nominationsausschuss empfehlen den Aktionären, diesen Gegenantrag abzulehnen und die vom Gremium vorgeschlagene Besetzung zu bestätigen. Die detaillierten Unterlagen zur Generalversammlung will GAM am 20. April 2026 veröffentlichen. Die Vorschläge spiegeln nach Angaben des Unternehmens auch das anhaltende Engagement des Hauptaktionärs für die langfristige strategische Entwicklung von GAM wider.