Bridge Invest appoints Jacob Hix as BDM after placement year

Hix joined Bridge Investment in 2020 as loan monitoring officer in his placement year as part of his studies of economic, finance and banking at University of Portsmouth from 2018 to 2022.

Bridge Invest’s chief executive, Ronak Ruparell, said that it was “extremely pleased” that Hix had returned to Bridge Invest on a “permanent basis”.

He continued: “Throughout his placement, he demonstrated the key skills needed for a successful career in sales. I look forward to watching him successfully build relationships and act as an excellent ambassador for our business.”

Placement year ‘a huge success’

Ruparell said that there was a shortage of talent in the industry and inviting graduates to work with them during their placement year had been a “huge success”.

He pointed to case managers George Durrant and Garv Sud were a “great testament to Bridge Invest’s graduate programme and who were all re-hired due to their capabilities in the industry”.

Hix said: “There are several benefits of doing a placement year. One of the biggest benefits is the boost it gave to my confidence. Throughout the year, I overcame fears, discovered my strengths and weaknesses, and took on new challenges.”

“The placement was invaluable. Not only did I gain an insight in property finance, but it also allowed me to road-test both the role and the company”.