Moula is expanding.
The Melbourne-based specialist lender, which caters to small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), has hired two new business development managers (BDMs) in an effort to grow its national partner sales team: Jesse Barling in Queensland, and Sheeba Kapoor in Victoria.
"We're focused on sustainable growth and ensuring we have the right people in place to deliver for our partners and customers," Sam Sfeir, head of sales at Moula, told Australian Broker. "We'll continue to invest in areas that help us better serve small businesses.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Jesse and Sheeba to the team,” he said. “Both bring proven experience and a broker-first approach that will add real value for our partners. Their appointments strengthen our ability to back brokers and help more small businesses access the funding they need to grow.”
Brisbane-based Barling (pictured above left) has more than 10 years experience in the home loan and unsecured business lending sectors. His resume includes stints at Athena Home Loans, Great Southern Bank, Credit Union Australia (CUA) and First Mortgage Services. He has been tasked with supporting brokers and clients across Queensland.
Kapoor, who is based in the Greater Melbourne area, has worked for National Australia Bank (NAB) and financial services firm Shift, in addition to a previous stint at Moula. She brings with her experience across fintech and banking, including cash flow lending, asset and equipment finance, and property-backed finance.
The duo are the latest addition to Moula's team. In March, the non-bank lender hired Nicholas Lam as a BDM, supporting Victoria and Tasmania. Moula, which was founded in 2013, said the growing team is part of its effort to further support the broker channel, in addition to the growing need for SME loans across the nation.
"We've expanded our team to make sure we’re well placed to support brokers and small business clients across more regions," Sfeir said.
Moula currently has BDMs covering New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and in the Australian Capital Territory, with recruitment still underway as the team continues to grow. In addition, Sfeir said the firm has been active in the broker channel since its inception.
Meanwhile, the growing demand for SME finance is opening up new opportunities for brokers across the market. Business lending grew 8.6% in the year ending March 2025, according to the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), while the latest Equifax Business Pulse report found that the demand for commercial credit rose 4.7% in August, year-over-year.
And, a number of lenders — both big and small — have reported increased business lending in the last 12 months. Westpac reported a 14% year-on-year increase for the first half of 2025. Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) is also doubling down on its business lending division. The major bank grew its business loan book by 9.1% (or $3.7 billion) in the three months leading up to 31 March.
And as traditional lenders tighten their criteria, non-bank lenders are stepping up to serve clients who no longer fit conventional lending standards.
"Small business lending remains an area of ongoing demand," Sfeir said. "SMEs' need funding to support their growth. Many SMEs are looking for working capital to manage cash flow, invest in growth or take advantage of new opportunities."
"Demand for flexible funding solutions continues to evolve, particularly as businesses look for alternatives to traditional lending options," Sfeir said. "Sectors like fintech and asset finance are part of that landscape, but more broadly, we’re seeing strong appetite from a wide range of industries."
