Sancus UK expands credit and lending team

Manchester and London-based specialist lender Sancus UK has strengthened its credit and lending team with two senior appointments and an internal promotion.

Clair Dempsie has joined the business as credit operations manager, based in Sancus UK’s London office. 

She brings extensive experience across credit, underwriting and operational risk from her time at HTB and will support deal execution while enhancing credit and operational frameworks.

Clair said: “Sancus is at an exciting stage of its growth, and the opportunity to help strengthen credit and operational processes was a key driver for me. 

“With over 18 years’ experience in real estate finance and deal execution, I’m focused on delivering complex transactions efficiently and Sancus’s commitment to transparent finance strongly aligns with my own values.”

Meanwhile in Manchester, Harry Hutton has been appointed lending manager. 

He joins from Salboy and NatWest Group and will manage loan transactions from origination through to completion, drawing on a strong background in property finance across developer and institutional lending.

Harry added: “Sancus stood out to me as an ambitious and fast-growing business, with a strong culture and a clear vision for the future. 

“The opportunity to join an established and expanding team, based in the heart of Manchester city centre, was incredibly appealing.”

Alongside the new hires, Lexie Phillips has been promoted to credit and risk operations director. 

Having joined Sancus UK in 2024, she will now play a key role in shaping processes aligned with the firm’s growth strategy.

Lexie added: “The addition of Clair and Harry to the team, significantly enhances our capability, allowing us to deliver at pace, while maintaining standards and high-quality outcomes for our clients. 

“As Sancus continues to scale, evolving our systems, controls and processes is critical to ensuring a robust foundation for sustainable future growth.”

Sancus UK provides flexible lending solutions to property-backed businesses across the UK.

Andrew Charnley, managing director of Sancus UK, added: “These appointments reflect our continued investment in our people as we scale the business. 

“With new lending this year expected to be in excess of £150 million, and a team that has grown by 40 per cent in the last 12 months, it’s critical we have the right structure and expertise in place. We expect to continue expanding our Manchester footprint and the wider team in London as demand continues to grow.”

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