Hilco expands UK bridge lending team

Hilco Real Estate Finance (HREF) has appointed Jamie Jolly as managing director for the Midlands, North and Scotland as it expands across the UK.

Jamie, formerly head of bridging at Hampshire Trust Bank, brings 24 years of lending experience, including 14 years at Blemain Group (now Together).

Jamie said: “I’ve been watching HREF’s early progress with interest, and from a standing start two years ago they’ve already got great traction and the entrepreneurial team they have been building was the key to attracting me to join the business. 

“In a market where deals can be tough to get over the line with some lender models, it was also an appealing opportunity to join a lender that is incredibly well capitalised and commercially minded when it comes to reviewing lending opportunities.”

“HREF has a clear strategy to grow regionally in the coming years, and from my base in the North I am well located to allow us to further support this region. 

“The team have been doing an increasing number of deals with developers and brokers across the whole of the UK and Ireland, but we know there are a lot more opportunities out there in the areas that suit our direct, pragmatic approach to lending on deals that make sense, even if they involve unusual and what can be perceived as challenging deal structures and assets.”

Launched in 2023, HREF provides short-term bridging loans from £2 million to over £100 million across various real estate sectors. 

The lender is targeting significant loan book growth in 2025, with recent deals spanning London, Newcastle, Leeds and Waterford, Ireland.

Max Lewis, HREF chief investment officer, added: “Jamie was the ideal partner to join us at a crucial time for HREF, as we expand our presence outside London, where we have been based to build our early market share in the specialist bridge lending market.

“His entire career has been in bridging and specialist lending, and Jamie has led some of the highest growth businesses in the industry for the last decade, and we’re excited to have him join our growing team.” 

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