Jamie, who has over 25 years of industry experience, will lead the new arm, which is set to complement the firm's existing real estate finance division.

Over the next year, Jamie plans to build a team with significant expertise that operates with the “agility and culture of a dedicated bridging business”.

Jamie’s experience includes helping to build Hampshire Trust Bank’s bridging division as director of bridging between 2022 and 2024.

Prior to this, he was managing director at Somo.

Jamie commented: “Expanding into bridging finance is a major step forward for Secure Trust Bank.

“By complementing our existing product portfolio, our trusted brokers have more options to serve their clients’ various lending needs.

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“We understand that no deal is the same, which is why all parties succeed when people deeply understand the product and the process. From our side, this requires face-to-face contact with prospective brokers and borrowers to forge new and strengthen existing relationships. This will be crucial in developing a culture that emphasises accountability, communication and responsiveness to stakeholder needs.”

John Griffin, managing director at STB Real Estate Finance, added: “Our real estate team has expanded its product offering to ensure we can support brokers, investors and developers at every stage of the property lifecycle — from initial land acquisition all the way through to term investments and sales bridges.

“Jamie has a deep knowledge of the bridge lending market and a proven track record; we are delighted to have him leading the team to drive our strategy.”