Hampshire Trust Bank (HTB) has expanded its development finance division with three new relationship managers, underscoring its desire to focus on personal, relationship-led lending for small and medium-sized developers.
The appointments follow a period of record completions for the bank’s development finance business and sustained demand from SME developers seeking lenders that combine flexible funding with hands-on support.
The new recruits — Serena Rahim Shah, Tom Genner and Olivia Emmett — join from Arbuthnot Latham, Avamore Capital and Pivot Finance respectively. Rahim Shah brings a background in real estate finance, commercial banking and restructuring; Genner joins with experience in credit analysis and investor relations after beginning his career at Savills; and Emmett moves from Pivot Finance, having previously worked at Atelier in specialist property lending.
All three will report to Michael O’Donnell, head of relationship management for development finance.
O’Donnell said: “We are delighted to welcome Serena, Tom and Olivia to the relationship management team. Each brings the experience, understanding and client focus that reflect how we work at HTB.
“Our team stays close to every project from day one, working alongside developers and brokers to anticipate challenges early and keep funding aligned to how schemes evolve.
“On every transaction, a broker and borrower have direct access to both a lending director and a relationship manager, ensuring there is always someone who understands the deal and can resolve issues quickly.
“Relationship managers play a key role in structuring and onboarding, acting as a constant point of contact for our clients throughout the life of a project. We know conditions on site can change quickly, so having the right people in place to respond and keep things moving is essential.
“As our portfolio grows, expanding our relationship management function ensures every client continues to receive the same accessibility, clarity and consistency that define HTB.”
Neil Leitch, managing director of development finance at HTB, added: “Relationship management sits at the heart of how we deliver development finance. Our strength as a lender comes from staying close to our clients, understanding their projects and acting quickly when something changes on site.
“Expanding this team gives us the depth to stay connected with every developer we support. It allows us to maintain the quality of communication, responsiveness and decision-making that brokers and clients expect from HTB, even as demand continues to grow.”
Leitch said the new hires would reinforce the bank’s commitment to “practical, collaborative and relationship-driven” lending, ensuring that developers continue to receive the certainty and partnership needed to move projects forward with confidence.
