Watts Commercial said that the hire of a South West commercial manager aligns with its five-year plan to grow its team of commercial managers to 50 and hit 100 staff overall. This will ensure “comprehensive national coverage”, it added.

Stevenson will “spearhead… growth and client engagement” in the South West region as commercial manager.

He joins from Arbuthnot Lathan, where he worked for around seven years, most recently as director for South West Commercial Banking.

Before that, he worked at Royal Bank of Scotland for around five years, initially as relationship manager for corporate banking, then as senior relationship manager for corporate banking, and finally relationship director.

Prior to that, he was a private banking manager for Natwest for nearly four years, and before that, he was a business development manager (BDM) at Bank of Scotland for around a year.

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Phil Gray, managing director of Watts Commercial, said: “We are delighted to welcome Matt to our team.

“His extensive experience and deep understanding of the South West market will be invaluable as we expand our presence in Devon and Cornwall. Matt’s proven track record in property lending and his ‘can do’ attitude align perfectly with our company values and strategic goals.”

Stevenson added: “I am delighted to bring the multi-award-winning Watts Commercial brand to the South West region. I look forward to supporting local businesses and property investors with whole-of-market funding solutions.

“My experience in property lending, strong client relationships, extensive network of introducers, and management expertise will enable me to contribute significantly to the growth and success of Watts Commercial in this region.”

Watts Commercial Finance has been growing its commercial manager team, and not just in the South West. This includes hiring Matthew Murphy as its commercial manager, covering Chester, Wirral and North Wales.