In response to huge demand for bridging finance in the South West, West Midlands and South Wales, B&C can exclusively reveal that one of the industry’s most highly regarded lenders, Masthaven Property Finance, has hired a dedicated Business Development Manager (BDM), Richard Angell, to concentrate solely on this patch.

Housing some of the biggest producers of bridging finance in the UK, a BDM responsible solely for this area will enable Masthaven to maximise its opportunities here and to establish new and enhance existing introducer relationships in the region.

Before joining Masthaven at the end of March, Richard was the branch manager for a specialist recruitment firm. Previous to that, he worked for two financial service packagers; he was BDM for em-Financial for which he generated net profits of over £500,000 in one year alone, as well as working for Praxis Financial.

We caught up with Richard to ask him a little more about his new role…

How has your first week at Masthaven been? Any surprises?

It’s been great. I’ve managed to meet everyone in the team and they’ve made me feel really welcome. 

What is your experience in bridging finance and why have you chosen to specialise in this particular sector of the market?

I’ve worked in the intermediary market for both lenders and packagers previously but having seen the growth in the bridging finance sector, I am delighted to be a part of the Masthaven team who have established an excellent reputation for providing outstanding service to intermediaries.

Why the move from your previous position?

Being able to work with Andrew Bloom, Richard Deacon and the rest of the team at Masthaven is a great opportunity for me to join an established FSA regulated multi-award winning lender.

What did you want to be when you were younger?

…Doesn’t everyone want to be an astronaut??

What makes your new job so important and what do you think it will bring to Masthaven?

I am looking forward to meeting with all of our existing brokers in the South West, Midlands and Wales, as well as introducing Masthaven to new contacts. We have a fantastic range of short-term lending products that provide solutions for many requirements.

Describe yourself in five words…

A Happy Welsh Rugby Supporter!!

Where do you see yourself and the bridging industry in five years?

Personally, I see myself working for Masthaven, helping brokers with their short-term lending requirements.

As far as the industry is concerned, bridging finance lending volumes will increase substantially for expert lending partners who provide quick and sensible funding in order to meet the demands of consumers and brokers. Honesty, integrity and transparency will remain the key things that brokers and consumers require from short-term lenders.

What challenges do you foresee operating in South Wales and South West England?

Making sure that I have the correct change for the Severn Bridge and successfully navigating the Spaghetti Junction!

And finally… tell us a joke?

On no… are you ready for this?? 

What do you call an Alligator in a vest?

An investigator!