United Trust Bank has appointed Gene Clohessy to the newly created role of director of underwriting within its bridging division.
Clohessy (pictured) brings nearly two decades of experience in banking and real estate finance, having held senior roles at LendInvest and Shawbrook Bank.
Most recently, she served as senior proposition manager at Shawbrook, following a prior stint as director of underwriting at LendInvest.
In her new position, Clohessy will oversee the bank’s bridging underwriting managers and report to Sundeep Patel, director of bridging. Her remit includes developing credit strategy and driving process improvements aimed at accelerating decision-making and enhancing outcomes for intermediaries and customers alike.
The move comes as UTB continues to reshape its bridging proposition to respond to shifting market demands. Over the past year, the bank has restructured its underwriting teams to separate regulated and unregulated business, with tailored resources dedicated to each.
Patel said this approach had become increasingly necessary due to a growing volume of refurbishment and rebridging enquiries, along with a rise in more complex bridging cases requiring closer collaboration between brokers and underwriters.
“Gene brings a huge amount of experience and know-how with a proven track record of managing high performing teams and delivering an excellent service to brokers,” said Patel.
“As UTB looks to increase its appetite for more complex and challenging bridging cases in response to broker and customer demand, her experience and success of supporting commercial growth in combination with a degree of underwriting prudence will be invaluable as we continue to develop UTB’s bridging proposition in an evolving marketplace.”
Clohessy said she welcomed the opportunity to help build closer relationships between underwriting and intermediary partners.
“Whilst many lenders prefer to keep their credit teams well away from brokers, UTB recognises the benefit close relationships can bring,” she said.
“United we go further, especially when cases are less straightforward and need a more tailored approach from an experienced underwriter who is empowered to find a way to say yes.”
She added that UTB’s reputation for reliability and loyalty was one she intended to build on, enabling the team to deliver quicker and more positive decisions to support brokers in serving their clients – and in turn help the bank expand its share of the bridging market.
