Bridging lender Tuscan Capital has appointed short-term lending underwriting specialist to join its credit & risk team.

Maria Curatolo (pictured) joins Tuscan Capital with immediate effect in the role of underwriter.

Curatolo has worked in financial services since leaving school. Her first position was with Abbey National Building Society from where she progressed in underwriting-focused roles with a variety of lenders that include Santander for Intermediaries, Barclays Wealth International, Omni Capital, Oblix Capital and, most recently, Lendhub.

The move reunites Curatolo with a number of colleagues with whom she previously worked at bridging and development lender Omni Capital Partners.

Curatolo is based in Tuscan Capital’s central London head office and reports to the lender’s head of credit & risk, Dena Thompson.

The appointment follows the recent appointment of a new regional director and the opening of a second regional office in central Manchester.

Colin Sanders, Tuscan Capital’s CEO, said: “Following our recent physical expansion into the Midlands and North of England, we decided the time was right to add extra heft to our all important credit & risk team.

“Never more than now, brokers are relying on their lender partners to deliver speedy but consistently pragmatic and reliable lending decisions. We have always considered this to be one of our strongest points, hence this new investment in experienced personnel.

“Maria has a superb track record in understanding and evaluating bridging and development funding cases. Given this, and her past close association with Dena, myself and others of the team, her transition to Tuscan will be undoubtedly a seamless one.”