At the start of the year, we expanded into bridging finance, appointing Jamie Jolly as our head of bridging. With over two decades of experience in specialist lending, Jamie is leading the creation of a dedicated bridging division to complement our real estate finance offerings. We caught up with him about the bridging finance market, what success means to him, and what his favourite movie is (clue, it stars Sylvester Stallone)...
For Jamie, the role is an opportunity to build something from the ground up. He said: "Secure Trust Bank has a strong reputation within the real estate sector and the stability that comes with being a well-capitalised bank creates a solid platform to build a bridging proposition combining the agility of a specialist lender and the reliability people expect from a bank."
As with any new division, Jamie believes success starts with assembling the right team.
"Experience is something you simply can't teach," he says. "We're not trying to build a large team overnight - the focus is on bringing in people who understand this market, understand brokers and know how bridging transactions work in practice."
This shows the culture Jamie is building - bridging finance usually involves complex transactions needing flexibility and clear communication between lenders, brokers and borrowers.
"Deals are rarely straightforward, so you need strong lines of communication and the ability to work through challenges together. Tech can help improve efficiency, but it should never replace conversations and relationships."
A key part of this will be our broker hub: a platform to streamline processes while maintaining a relationship driven approach that broker's value.
As Jamie says: "The portal is there to make it easier to do business with us, but it's not something we're going to hide behind. Brokers will still have direct access to experienced decision-makers, because communication is essential in bridging."
Despite challengers in parts of the specialist lending market, Jamie is confident about the opportunities within bridging finance.
"It's a sector that plays an important role in helping investors and developers move quickly and unlock opportunities. For us, success will come from looking at areas where we can genuinely add value, especially in land and development exit lending."
Looking ahead to the next 12 months, Jamie believes the most important measure of success will be the relationships we build.
"If brokers see us as reliable, straightforward to deal with and consistent in delivering on what we say we'll do, then we'll know we're on the right track."
Quickfire with Jamie!
If you could only watch one movie for the rest of your life, what would it be?
"Rocky. I've always loved the story behind it... a missed opportunity, a second chance and making the most of it. It's a brilliant film and (funnily enough) he doesn't even win in the end."
What's the most spontaneous thing you've ever done?
"After a few too many margaritas one night, I somehow managed to buy a very expensive watch online. I only realised when it turned up at the door a few days later!"
What's one thing your family would tease you about?
"My hair. Actually... my lack of it. I regularly get jokes about booking a trip to Turkey!"