Appointments

Hope Capital, Roma, Secure Trust Bank and Recognise bolster teams




Hope Capital, Roma Finance, Secure Trust Bank and Recognise Bank have made new additions to their specialist finance teams.

Hope Capital

Hope Capital has appointed David Burford and Debbie Range as BDMs.

In their new roles, David will support brokers throughout the South West of England and South Wales, while Debbie will focus on the North and Midlands of England and Scotland.

David, who joins the specialist lender from SFC, has worked as a BDM for various companies throughout his career, including Step One Finance, Charles Frank Finance and Barclays. 

He also has experience working as a mortgage broker and is now looking forward to supporting the Hope Capital team in delivering more record numbers in the coming months. 

“The experience I have obtained over the years ensures I have a complete understanding of the requirements and expectations of brokers,” said David.

“This is especially important during a time when the demand for specialist finance is strong and continues to grow, with the property market currently booming.

“Having a reputation for transparency and clear communication with brokers, I am confident I will deliver what a broker and their client needs throughout the process of securing a bridging loan from Hope Capital.”

Debbie joins the lender from Halliwell Jones Warrington, where she was a local BDM.

In addition to her previous various sales positions for several companies, including Birmingham Midshires and Santander, she also has experience working as a broker.

“I am really looking forward to working with the Hope Capital team to help drive the next stage of its growth and development,” she commented.

“Owing to my experience in the industry, I feel confident I will be able to contribute to the business’s progress going forward.”

The announcement follows the appointment of Roz Cawood  as director of sales last month. 

Jonathan Sealey, CEO at Hope Capital, stated that this was an extremely exciting time for Hope Capital. 

“As a business, we have been growing rapidly with a surge in enquiries from borrowers and brokers. 

“We therefore need people of David’s and Debbie’s calibre to help us to continue our growth plans. 

“I have no doubt they will have an extremely positive impact on the business.”

Roma Finance

Roma Finance has recruited Kirsty Botten as a BDM for London and the South East.

In her new position, she will be responsible for developing relationships and supporting intermediaries to enable mutual growth.

Kirsty, who has bridging underwriting and case structuring experience, joins the business from FinSpace, where she was a bridging and development broker.

“I’m so excited to join the Roma team and start this next chapter,” she said. 

“Roma has really made waves and put itself on the map in the last year, and I can see the passion that the team has for the business.”

Steve Smith, national sales manager at Roma, added: “I am delighted to welcome Kirsty to the business and thrilled with the expansion of the new business team. 

“The demand we are experiencing continues to climb and it is essential that we exceed our partners’ expectations every time. 

“We are doing this by developing a knowledgeable and empowered team, enabling us to stick to our decisions and provide a slick and certain service throughout.”

Secure Trust Bank

Secure Trust Bank’s commercial finance division has appointed Colin Muir as a portfolio and structuring director for its Midlands operations.

He will be supporting and managing the firm’s Midlands portfolio, as well as providing flexible solutions that enable growth for the region’s SMEs.

Colin joins the business from NatWest, where he was responsible for establishing and growing the firm’s commercial asset-based lending team.

He has also held management roles in some of the firm’s Midlands offices, with roles across new business, risk and client management.

The announcement marks the third anniversary of the opening of the lender’s Birmingham office.

The firm has seen significant growth in the region, with over £150m of client facilities now managed in the Midlands office.

“Secure Trust Bank has built an outstanding reputation in recent years for its success in markets where high-street lenders typically struggle, and I have admired some of the deals they have done in the last seven years,” Colin said.

“I was looking for a new challenge in the asset-based lending space, and with the freedom to approach deals in a more tailored and agile way, Secure Trust Bank represents the ideal place for me to get that experience.”

David Parsons, regional managing director at Secure Trust Bank’s commercial finance division, added: “During his time at NatWest, Colin has demonstrated his ability not only to manage a team and structure deals successfully, but also his real talent for supporting his clients through both challenging circumstances and in times of growth. 

“This ability is crucial at Secure Trust Bank, as our flexible approach to lending enables our portfolio to have greater freedom and control over their finance, and our portfolio team is proactive when it comes to capitalising on growth opportunities. 

“I am convinced that Colin will be an invaluable addition to the team, and I look forward to working closely with him over the coming months.”

Recognise Bank

Recognise Bank has strengthened its team with three new BDMs who will focus on London and the Midlands.

Stuart Benge, who has a long career in commercial lending, joins Recognise from Assetz Capital, while Andrew Oppe joins from HSBC.

Sam Shooter has also come on board, having worked in other areas of financial services for various companies, including Star Sports.

The appointments are part of Recognise Bank’s strategy to build a team which understand the needs of smaller businesses, as well as regional circumstances.

“This is truly a relationship-led sector, so I’m really pleased to be working with a bank that understands the importance of that,” said Stuart.

“I’m looking forward to getting out and meeting with brokers and SMEs.”

Andrew added: “SMEs are the lifeblood of the UK economy — a role that is now more important than ever before. 

“I’m passionate about standing up for, helping and supporting smaller businesses, so this is a perfect role for me.”

Sam commented: “This is a great opportunity, and I am delighted to be joining Recognise at a time where we can help make a difference to SMEs across the country.”

Jackie Skelt, regional director for London and the Midlands at Recognise Bank, explained: “There is a buzz in the regions among SMEs who see a great opportunity to grow their businesses as we start to recover from the impact of the pandemic.

“As a result, they want to talk to lenders that understand them and don’t treat them as a tick-box exercise.”

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