LendInvest has appointed Peter McDermid as a business development manager (BDM) for Scotland.

McDermid will be responsible for forging relationships with intermediaries and building the bridging lender’s profile in Scotland. He will focus primarily on the central belt running between Glasgow and Edinburgh where demand for short-term property finance is highest.

He has over 13 years’ experience in financial services and joins from Shawbrook Bank, where he also worked as BDM for Scotland.

The appointment is LendInvest’s first official presence outside London and is part of the firm’s expansion strategy beyond the South East of England. LendInvest’s entire suite of bridging and development finance will be available to Scottish property entrepreneurs.

Matthew Tooth, head of distribution at LendInvest, said: “It’s excellent to have Peter on board. He brings a lot of experience to our team, and is well known within the mortgage industry in Scotland. We have identified a real demand for LendInvest products north of the border, and Peter is just the man to help us build a presence in the mortgage market there.”

McDermid added: “This is an exciting time for LendInvest, which has quickly established itself as the bridging lender of choice for intermediaries in London, the South East and increasingly elsewhere in England. Now is the perfect time to bring the speedy, efficient service for which LendInvest is renowned to Scotland.”