McHugh was global head of credit operations at Barclays Wealth and previously held director roles in the mortgage divisions of Lehman Brothers and Global Home Loans.
He will lead the expansion of Oakwood’s technology and operations platforms to allow it to grow in the second charge and unsecured loans markets.
McHugh said: “There is significant market demand for second charge and unsecured lending, and Oakwood is in a strong position to exploit these opportunities by supporting new lenders, existing clients or investors.
“I am joining a senior management team with decades of experience in both financial services and investment banking, and I am confident that we will very quickly be able to develop and bring to market a new and broader service proposition.”