Short-term property finance provider Signature Private Finance has made two new appointments.

Nigel Robbins, who joins from Cigna Legal Protection, takes up the role of business development manager (BDM).

Meanwhile, Steve Cleaver, formerly with Furness Building Society, has been appointed as an underwriter.

Signature, which offers a national service from offices in Birmingham and London, is backed by private equity funding and says is experiencing a surge in growth as traditional sources of finance remain difficult to access for many property owners and investors.

Robbins (pictured, left) said: “I am joining Signature Private Finance, a firm on the rise, at a time when there is renewed optimism in the sector, with new property investors entering the market on a daily basis.

“I hope to be involved in the wider strategic development of the business, but my primary aim is to manage and increase the firm’s relationships with brokers, investors and the property development community – which shouldn’t be too hard given the offering we have.”

Cleaver (pictured, right) added: “I have a wealth of experience in the mortgage industry, as an underwriter, and know that a lot of what succeeds in finance depends on speed and accuracy. The competitive nature of this industry means being able to provide access to funds as quickly as possible gives you the advantage; a real edge for our clients.

“Signature is a business built on the knowledge of property developers, who base decisions on an understanding of the market, not just figures in a balance sheet. It’s a business that works hard to find ways to lend, not reasons to say no and that’s refreshing in the current climate.”

Signature CEO, Bilal Ahmed, claims the new appointments demonstrate a commitment to delivering not just a high quality service, but a fast one too: “These strategic appointments will ensure we sustain our recent growth and can spread the message about our service, safe in the knowledge we have the resources to cope with the new business that will undoubtedly follow.

“Being able to attract individuals of the calibre of Nigel and Steve confirms the offering we have is attractive to the market and provides them both with great opportunities to succeed, whilst taking important steps in their career development.

“Steve has great experience in the mortgage industry, excelling wherever he has worked, showing outstanding leadership and communication skills, whilst Nigel has always delivered excellent results, with a reputation for forming strong relationships.

“They both have impressive track records and their collective experience makes them formidable assets to our business – we expect great things from both of them in the years ahead.”