Secure Trust Bank (STB) Real Estate Finance has appointed Alan Coleman as relationship director.
Coleman brings over five years of experience working specifically in development finance, and almost a decade in property finance.
His expertise spans multiple disciplines, with a strong background in residential and commercial real estate, credit analysis, origination, bridge financing, debt restructuring and distressed loan management.
He joins STB from another specialist bank, where his role as a lending director saw him responsible for securing new development finance business, with the aim of establishing long-term partnerships.
At STB, Coleman will work in the origination team to deliver tailored facilities from initial enquiry to credit approval, and then onto drawdown and management of the loans during their lifecycle.
He will also be tasked with providing bespoke residential and commercial investment loans capable of meeting the evolving needs of property investors.
Coleman said: “I’m excited to be joining Secure Trust Bank at such a pivotal time for both the business and the housebuilding industry. While we’re committed to further establishing our presence in the world of development finance, it’s just as important that we look to support developers who continue to recover from the economic uncertainty experienced in recent years.
“With a host of incoming legislation set to shake up the industry, I am confident in our ability to provide the property development finance products necessary to help developers, big or small, play their part in bridging the widening gap between housing supply and demand. Crucial to this is the in-life management of loans from cradle to grave and ensuring that we remain a proactive and responsive extension to our borrowers throughout the development journey.”
Bishop Fleming has announced the first two partner appointments to its new Birmingham office, just months after launching in the city.
Lucy Fairclough joins as a financial reporting partner in the Audit team, bringing nearly 20 years of experience across PwC, KPMG, and most recently, Azets.
Originally starting her career as an apprentice at PwC in Birmingham, she now returns to the city to help lead the firm’s strategic growth in financial reporting, corporate restructuring and UK compliance.
She said: “I’m delighted to be joining Bishop Fleming at such an exciting time for the firm. I’ve long been impressed by the strength of its reputation and brand. I’m excited to be part of a firm that aligns so strongly with my own values and ambitions.”
Audit partner Muhammad Usman also brings a wealth of experience, having spent more than 18 years at KPMG working with mid-market and entrepreneurial businesses.
He has advised SMEs, startups and private equity-backed firms across sectors including construction, manufacturing, tech, retail, and media.
Usman said: “The growth of Bishop Fleming’s Birmingham office presents a huge opportunity, and I’m thrilled to be joining the firm. It’s a business with ambition and purpose, and I’m excited to be part of its next chapter.”
Mark Taylor, Birmingham office lead at Bishop Fleming said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Lucy and Usman as the first leadership hires in our Birmingham office. They will build our presence in the city as we aim to replicate the scale of our Bristol office with a future team of over 200 people.”
The Midlands branch of the Investment Property Forum (IPF) has welcomed two new board
members.
Eleanor Deeley is joint managing director of Deeley Group, the Coventry-based developer and contractor.
Deeley has worked in the Midlands property market for more than 25 years. She joined the family-owned firm in 2019, following stints at CBRE and Cushman & Wakefield.
At Deeley, she has overseen growth resulting in a doubling in turnover in the last five years.
As a spokeswoman for the property sector, Deeley is a regular contributor to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme and Radio 5’s Wake Up to Money.
Kieren Turner-Owen is an associate director in Frontier Development Capital’s (FDC) property team.
He joined FDC in 2019 from HSBC’s corporate real estate team. Turner-Owen has spent more than a decade advising property firms on investment and development finance.
IPF Midlands region chairman, Jonathan Devaney, said: “I look forward to working with Eleanor and Kieren as we continue to build our membership and deliver events designed to support networking and learning for the Midlands’ real estate community.”
