10 Questions with Joshua Elash of MT Finance

10 Questions with Joshua Elash of MT Finance




.

A Villa fan who dreams of a better world where the ability to fly would solve London's commuter nightmare, Alexandra Jones spoke to Joshua Elash, Managing Director at MT Finance...

B&C: How long have you been in the industry and how did you get to where you are now?

JE: I became involved with MT Finance, moving into the bridging finance industry, in 2008. I had spent a couple of years at a large European real estate investment fund based in Paris, France as an Associate Director working with leading investment banks and pension funds from across Europe. When the markets turned upside down, and sudden a lack of liquidity prevented institutions from lending, I saw an opportunity. As a New York State Attorney by background and having worked in London specialising in finance and real estate for a number of years earlier in my career the move seemed a natural fit.

What did you want to be when you were younger?

A professional athlete. To this day I think that has got to be the best way of earning a living.

What is the most significant difference you have seen in terms of bridging over the years up to now?

The quality and increase in the competition. Over the last several years we have seen the emergence of more and more new bridging finance companies. This increased competition has driven down pricing and has improved the market.

Which sports team do you support, if any, and why?

I support Aston Villa and the Chicago Bears. The Bears are my home town team. As for Villa, when I came to England we had Saunders, Atkinson, Townsend, Houghton etc. A great team with a great manager. I didn’t know then that is wasn’t going to get better.

If you could change one thing about the sector, what would it be?

I wouldn’t change anything. I think the industry is probably healthier than at any point in the recent past.

If you could have one superpower, what would you choose and why?

I would choose to be able to fly. Cut out traffic. No more tube. A-Z without a problem.

What was the last film you saw and what did you think of it?

The last film I saw was actually Casino Royale on TV on Sunday night. Shameful that I hadn’t seen it before. I actually really liked it. I had gone off Bond films through the Brosnan era but Craig is awesome.

What would you put in room 101 if you had the chance?

The tabloid press.

What do you expect to happen in the bridging finance industry over the next 12 months?

The market will continue to be highly competitive in the coming 12 months and I would not be surprised to see further new entrants into the space.

If you could do anything you wanted this Sunday, what would it be?

Sleep for like 12 hours. I am a proud father of a 19 month old girl but cannot remember the last Sunday morning which didn’t start at 8:30am.

Leave a comment