Following bridging lender Montello's recent announcement that it has hired Gary Clark in the position of Director of Business Development, B&C sat down with the man himself to find out a bit more about what makes him tick, his long-standing career in financial services and his predictions about new development which are set to affect the bridging industry over the next year...
B&C: How long have you been in the industry and how did you get to where you are now?
GC: I started my career in banking 27 years ago. People always say ‘I can’t believe where the time has gone’. Believe me when I say I fully endorse the sentiment of this comment.
What did you want to be when you were younger?
This is a question that I struggled with when I was younger. On referral back to my family they can vouch for my lack of imagination as a child!
What do you think are the biggest problems in bridging at the moment?
I believe that fraud within in our industry continues to be a threat to every lender. This is by no means headline news but I do fear the less experienced will be caught out if their systems are not robust enough.
Which sports team do you support, if any, and why?
I really enjoy most sports although I have never supported any one team.
If you could change one thing about the sector, what would it be?
There really is not one factor that springs to mind. The bridging sector has evolved massively in a relatively short period of time. Whilst the past is a great way of gaining experience I do believe as an industry we should continue to work in the now and push forward.
If you could have one superpower, what would you choose and why?
The power to cut off anybody in mid-conversation when using their mobile phones in public, who feels the need to shout and involve everyone around them in their inane rambling...
What was the last film you saw and what did you think of it?
I was given the ‘new’ version of True Grit recently as a present on DVD. This is arguably the worst film I have ever seen!
What would you put in room 101 if you had the chance?
Anybody who owns a caravan and tows it with wing mirrors sticking out six feet either side.
What do you expect to happen in the bridging finance industry in 2012?
I believe there will be a steady increase of new entrants to the bridging arena. Banks’ appetite for lending will continue to be flat for the foreseeable future. On a more positive note, I think the revised planning rules for England will greatly help our sector in giving developers the ability to move more quickly on schemes that would have otherwise been declined. I see a bright future for lenders that are fleet of foot and able to adapt and react quickly to changing market conditions.
If you could do anything you wanted this Sunday, what would it be?
Charter a flight to an exotic island and enjoy the best hotel money can buy.
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