HTB hires Iles as development finance lending director

In his role, Iles will oversee acquiring new development finance business for HTB and developing client relationships into longer-term partnerships.

He joins from the Blend Network where he was a senior lending manager for nearly two years, and led the origination and executive of residential development investments.

Prior to that he was associate director at CapitalRise for around a year, where he oversaw origination, execution and general management of investments in the sector.

This includes development, private rental sector, student, residential and commercial on both a debt and equity basis.

Iles has also held senior roles at Octopus Real Estate, The Ingenious Group, Nationwide Building Society and Grant Thornton.

Neil Leitch, commercial director for development finance at HTB, said: “I’m incredibly pleased to have been able to add someone of Barney’s evident quality to our team. Despite short term economic challenges, the bank remains firmly committed to supporting SME developers throughout the UK.

“The addition of Barney to the team demonstrates our ongoing commitment to the market and our confidence in the property development sector over the long-term.”

Iles added: “I am absolutely delighted to join HTB at such an exciting time as they look to build on their success and grow their loan book. They have an excellent reputation and place a strong focus on delivering first class service.

“Developers and housebuilders need to be able to partner with a lender which has a strong appetite to lend and the funds to back up that desire. HTB has both in spades. I am looking forward to utilising my network and experience to ultimately help build more homes.”

HTB has been growing its team, with Chris Daly taking on the role of managing director of specialist mortgage division and John Archbold taking on the role of head of portfolio management.

On the development finance side, Uliana Kuzmis has become deputy managing director of development finance and Colin Ness, Richard Payne and Pranav Jain have joined as lending directors in the division.