David Johnson, a man synonymous with specialist lending for decades, has died.

He was 67 and had been suffering from cancer for two years.

Johnson helped establish a number of businesses which were instrumental in the growth of the specialist lending sector. In the 1990s he set up his own finance house, J&J Securities, which was acquired by Cityscape Financial Corporation in 1996. The organisation was subsequently acquired by Ocwen and then become igroup.

After leaving his role as managing director of igroup following its acquisition by GE Capital, Johnson joined forces with Kensington founder Martin Feingold to set up Commercial First.

Johnson and Feingold later created Money Partners in partnership with Kensington. Johnson – known as DJ to friends and associates – also set up Link Lending with Philip George, his partner at Commercial First. Both firms were subsequently acquired by Whiteaway Laidlaw Bank, which then rebranded as Shawbrook Bank.

Outside of the finance world, Johnson was an extremely successful owner of National Hunt horses. He was champion owner six times and won the Grand National in 2008 with Comply or Die. He had extremely fruitful relationships with trainer Martin Pipe and jockey AJ McCoy.

A keen West Ham United fan, Johnson spent three years as finance director of Colchester United in the 1990s.

He is survived by his wife Shirley and children Stephen and Lisa.