Roma Finance, the ‘borrower first’ lender, has expanded its underwriting team in response to the continued demand within the bridging and development finance sector.

In 2023, the company has strengthened its department by recruiting three additional underwriters; Shane Francis, Jason Metcalfe and Katie Devine. This expansion has increased Roma’s amassed underwriting experience to over 120 years and has been implemented to both enhance Roma’s service offering and enable the expected growth in line with Roma’s continuing trajectory.

Led by Lorraine Hart, head of credit, the department now consists of Senior Underwriters, Adrian France, Jack Ainsworth, Shane Francis and Katie Devine, Underwriting Team Leader, James Edwards and Underwriters Scott Brooks, Farah Akhtar, Kai Shahban and Jason Metcalfe, who are divided into two specialised teams. The Flow team focuses on short-term bridging loans and utilises a streamlined underwriting process, enabling faster case completions. Meanwhile, the Structured team undertakes a more comprehensive process for complex cases.

In addition to the department’s growth, Roma also achieved a remarkable milestone by recording its best funding month in August. This accomplishment follows back-to-back record months over the last 18 months.

Lorraine Hart, head of credit said “As the head of the underwriting department, I am delighted that we have been joined by the exceptional talents of Shane, Jason and Katie this year. Their contributions have made a significant positive impact on our structured underwriting team, particularly in light of the remarkable growth we’ve experienced within the business recently. I’m also looking forward to seeing how many more record funding months we’re able to achieve within the company!”