Cambridge & Counties Bank appoints new head of bridging finance

Specialist lender Cambridge & Counties Bank has created the new role of head of bridging finance and has promoted Stephen Parr to the position. This comes as the bank aims to cater for increased demand for dedicated bridging finance solutions.

In this new role, Stephen will report to Jayne Follows, head of real estate finance, and will be supported by Andrea Calverley, who joined the bank in March of this year as a senior lending officer.

Stephen has worked at Cambridge & Counties Bank since 2020, initially as a relationship manager and then, from January 2024, as a senior business development manager.

Andrea, who joined from Recognise Bank, has more than 25 years’ experience in the industry, having held relationship management and business development roles at institutions including Assetz Capital and Nationwide.

A key focus for the new team is bridge-to-term financing solutions.

Stephen Parr said: "I’m delighted to be working with Andrea and helping the bank capitalise on heightened demand for bridging loans at this key time.

"We have always offered bridging finance as a product, but this has now become a more formal, strategic focus for the bank, with our solutions capitalising on direct access to experienced staff, common-sense underwriting and a clear route to term – all designed to keep property transactions moving when timing is critical."

Jayne Follows commented: "Bridging finance has developed from a niche product to a forward-looking, supportive funding answer to flexible property opportunities. While bridging is commonly known for speed, its inherent adaptability, along with a clear exit strategy, has made it an increasingly in-demand product which appeals to all areas of the market."