Pluto Finance has appointed Max Güntner as lending director for Germany and the Netherlands, strengthening its push into continental Europe after securing a £2 billion partnership with Blackstone earlier this year.
Güntner (pictured), who will be based in Frankfurt, has nearly two decades of experience in real estate and structured finance.
Over his career he has originated and executed transactions worth around €2.7 billion across all real estate asset classes, advising institutional investors, private equity sponsors and developers.
He has previously held senior roles at Deutsche Bank, Laurus Property Partners and, most recently, 777 Financial Advisors.
EUROPEAN EXPANSION
The hire marks the latest step in Pluto’s European growth strategy following recent appointments in Spain, Portugal and Ireland. Shane Ryan joined in December 2024 to focus on Ireland, Eduardo Martin was brought in at the start of 2025 to cover Iberia, and in April Ciaran Singh became managing director for Europe.
Pluto, which specialises in development and bridging finance for residential and commercial real estate, has provided more than £3.5 billion of loans across 300 transactions in the UK since inception. Its model is now being extended to continental markets.
Singh said: “Max’s arrival is another important milestone in our European growth strategy. Having established a strong presence in the UK, we have begun replicating this success across Ireland, Iberia and can now extend this to Germany and the Netherlands.
“These are deep real estate markets where flexible credit solutions are in demand. Max’s combination of transaction experience, a pan-European perspective, and trusted network of borrower and investor relationships will be central to our ability to build momentum quickly.”
Güntner said he was eager to apply Pluto’s UK model to new markets: “Pluto has an impressive track record in the UK, built on a reputation for pragmatism, speed of execution and a borrower-first approach.
“These qualities resonate strongly with mid-market and institutional borrowers across Europe, where demand for alternative real estate credit continues to grow. I am excited to help bring this successful model to Germany and the Netherlands.”
