FR: Please tell our readers a little bit about yourself and your role at Recognise Bank.
I sit on Recognise Bank’s executive committee and lead the development of our lending and savings propositions. My role is to ensure we have the right products for the customers we serve, the right teams to deliver against the stretching targets we set, and clear accountability for the results.
Strategically, I focus on how we can grow safely and diversify. That includes deciding whether to enter new markets or deepen our support for existing customers with additional products. My remit spans both sides of the balance sheet, so I’m equally focused on getting the proposition right for borrowers and savers.
It’s not only about product design, but also about delivery. I work closely with colleagues across the Bank to refine processes, remove friction and make our service efficient, straightforward and aligned to market needs.
I also look after our brand. Its strength underpins the Bank’s long-term growth, and I never underestimate its importance, particularly for smaller businesses that value a trusted lending partner as they strive for sustainable growth.
FR: The latest quarterly data from the Bridging & Development Lenders Association (BDLA) shows completions up 32% year-on-year. Are you seeing a similar uptick, and is there a difference in demand for bridging on residential property versus commercial property?
Yes, we’re also seeing a strong uptick in completions year-on-year. Some of that reflects a buoyant market, but it also reflects our own momentum in 2025. We’ve expanded our broker panel by 300%, which naturally increases the flow of quality cases, and we’ve grown the team by 66% to broaden our geographic coverage and create the capacity to deliver more loans, faster.
We remain active across both residential and commercial bridging, and volumes are rising in each. The sharper growth at present is on the residential side, where our competitive terms and speed of execution are helping us gain traction. Commercial demand is healthy, particularly where timing is critical, but residential is leading the way for us this year.
FR: Some industry commentators have suggested that more landlords are allowing their commercial tenants to buy their premises. Is this reflected in your lending figures, and are there any specific industries or sectors that seem particularly buoyant from a lending perspective?
We’re not seeing a material uptick in tenants buying their premises from landlords. That said, landlords remain pragmatic. At the right price, many will consider a disposal to release capital for other opportunities. It’s selective rather than systemic.
From a lending perspective, we’re not observing a clear sector-led trend. Demand is broad and driven more by asset fundamentals such as location, cashflow and business resilience than by any single industry. Where tenant purchases do arise, bridging can play a useful role in securing the property while longer-term funding is arranged.
FR: What challenges do you see being faced by SMEs, and how can banks like Recognise provide finance solutions where traditional retail banks are unable to?
SMEs tell us their biggest challenges fall into two camps: clarity and cashflow. Policy and tax changes, evolving ESG expectations and a stop-start economy make planning harder than it should be. At the same time, costs remain a concern and customer demand can be patchy, which puts pressure on working capital and confidence. In that environment, certainty and speed of funding matter just as much as price.
This is where specialist lenders like Recognise can add real value. We underwrite the story of the business, not just the financials, and we can shape facilities to the plan in front of us. That might mean a property-backed bridging loan to meet a time-critical deadline or refinance, with a clear path to longer-term funding once the dust settles. It can also mean structuring repayments around cashflow, taking a pragmatic view on security and ownership, and giving customers a direct line to decision-makers so they know exactly where they stand.
In short, SMEs need finance that moves at their pace. Our role is to combine speed with structure, transparent terms, sensible leverage and a funding route that supports sustainable growth when traditional retail banks aren’t able to deliver.
FR: If any of our readers have never used Recognise Bank before, how would you briefly summarise your lending proposition and its particular strengths?
Recognise Bank provides short-term, property-backed finance when the security is real estate. Our bridging loans are secured against residential or commercial property, with LTVs up to 75% and facilities up to £10 million.
What sets us apart is delivery. We move at pace, keep terms straightforward and give brokers and clients direct access to experienced lending managers. We take a pragmatic, deal-led approach, structuring the loan around the customer’s needs, the security and the exit, so businesses get funding that’s quick, reliable and fit for purpose.
