UTB promotes Gene Clohessy to director of BTL and bridging

United Trust Bank (UTB) has promoted Gene Clohessy (pictured above) to director of BTL and bridging, giving her responsibility for the sales and underwriting functions across both product areas.

Gene joined UTB in July 2025 as director of underwriting for bridging and has 20 years of banking and real estate finance experience, including senior roles at LendInvest and Shawbrook Bank.

Since joining UTB she has played a key role in developing the bank’s bridging credit strategy, strengthening links between brokers and underwriting.

Her expanded role brings sales and underwriting together under one director.

The bank launched its new bridging portal in July, digitising and automating many of the administrative elements of the application journey and enabling brokers to submit and progress cases 24/7.

The portal incorporates integrated credit searches, electronic document uploads and digital workflows, removing the need for wet signatures and allowing underwriters to spend more time applying their experience and judgement to credit decisions and supporting brokers.

UTB highlighted a bridging application that was progressed from submission to offer in less than 24 hours using the new portal.

Further enhancements to UTB’s bridging proposition are due to be announced over the coming weeks.

In light of Gene’s promotion, UTB is recruiting a head of underwriting for BTL and bridging, as well as a new sales director dedicated to BTL and bridging, who will support and develop the existing sales team.

Buster Tolfree, managing director of mortgages, BTL and bridging at United Trust Bank, commented: “Gene is an experienced specialist finance professional and excellent leader, and I'm delighted that we've been able to fill this important role by promoting from within.

“Although Gene has been with UTB for little more than a year, the impact she has made in that time has been tremendous.

“I’d also like to thank Andrew Ferguson who helped us navigate the merging of the mortgages, BTL and bridging divisions and has now left the business following this restructure. We wish him well for the future.

“The new bridging portal is already having a real impact, we’ve got further significant proposition enhancements coming over the next few weeks and we’re investing in roles across the team to support our growth ambitions.”

Gene added: “It’s a really exciting time to be taking on this role.

“We’ve recently launched the new bridging portal, made significant changes to our BTL criteria and processes and there's an absolute stack of further improvements just around the corner.

“Aligning sales and underwriting more closely puts us in a strong position to deliver an even better experience for brokers.

“I’m incredibly excited about the opportunities ahead and what we can accomplish together.”