Iron Bridge Finance has announced the appointment of Gareth Ward as head of underwriting.

Ward (pictured) will report to chief financial officer Simon Pollins. His principal responsibilities will be to underwrite new enquiries through to completion and oversee the portfolio management function.

He previously held senior roles at a variety of specialist lenders, including Kensington, Investec Bank UK, Castle Trust and most recently Amicus.

Based in Primrose Hill, London NW1, Iron Bridge invests its own funds to provide mezzanine and top-up finance on residential and mixed-use development projects. Bridging finance is also available. Its stated objective is to bridge the gap between senior debt and equity within the capital stack.

Iron Bridge lends in amounts from £300,000 to £7 million in areas of high demand across England and Wales.

Ward said: “This is an exciting time for Iron Bridge. They have built an impressive proposition in what is a very interesting market. The demand for mezzanine finance is greater than ever and I’m looking forward to working with the team.”

Pollins added: “Gareth brings to Iron Bridge both a wealth of experience and a reputation for applying common-sense to the credit process. His skill set will compliment our strong and experienced team. We are delighted he has decided to join us at this time of growth and expansion for the business.”