Ocean | |
Company type | Privately owned |
Industry | Financial services |
Founded | 1991 |
Founder | Paul Newey |
Headquarters | , |
Area served | United Kingdom |
Products | Credit cards, loans, mortgages, car finance |
Owner | Intelligent Lending Limited |
Website | www |
Ocean Finance is a loans, credit card and mortgages business set up in 1991 in Staffordshire, United Kingdom.
It became known in the late 1990s and early 2000s for its advertising, including sponsoring its own channel on Sky TV [1] and its advertising became widely parodied. [2] The firm prospered on the back of rising house prices and the credit boom. By 2002 the firm was a leading player in the UK's secured loan market valued at over £14bn. [3]
The firm was bought by US insurance company American International Group (AIG) in 2006 for over £200m. [4] [5] Paul Newey stepped down as chief executive in 2009. [6]
Ocean Finance was the shirt sponsor of Tamworth F.C. from 2004 - 2009. [7] In 2008, it launched the UK's first TV channel dedicated to promoting loans and mortgages. [8]
Like many other mortgage businesses it struggled after the 2008 global credit crunch. The Ocean Finance brand was acquired [9] by Think Money Group in 2012. In 2014 the company launched the Ocean Credit Card in conjunction with Capital One. [10]
In 2004, the firm was criticized by some for its focus on offering second charge (secured) loans, to sub prime customers, often used for debt consolidation. [11]
In finance, a loan is the transfer of money by one party to another with an agreement to pay it back. The recipient, or borrower, incurs a debt and is usually required to pay interest for the use of the money.
American International Group, Inc. (AIG) is an American multinational finance and insurance corporation with operations in more than 80 countries and jurisdictions. As of 2023, AIG employed 25,200 people. The company operates through three core businesses: general insurance, life & retirement, and a standalone technology-enabled subsidiary. General Insurance includes Commercial, Personal Insurance, U.S. and International field operations. Life & Retirement includes Group Retirement, Individual Retirement, Life, and Institutional Markets. AIG is the title sponsor of the AIG Women's Open golf tournament. In 2023, for the sixth consecutive year, DiversityInc named AIG among the Top 50 Companies for Diversity list.
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