Aspen Bridging has made a raft of promotions across its risk, underwriting and credit team.

Wayne Hicklin has been promoted to risk director, bringing together all the previous roles he has held since joining the business in 2016, including underwriting and recoveries and his more recent position on the risk team.

He has over 25 years’ experience in specialist finance and will be leading the internal monitoring of heavy works cases to help grow Aspen’s lending in this area.

Saif Khalique has been promoted to head of underwriting, where he will oversee day-to-day management, strategy and training.

He joined Aspen in 2019 as a graduate underwriter and has steadily been promoted within the department while completing his real estate Msc.

Aqib Iqbal, who joined Aspen in 2021, has been promoted from senior credit analyst to credit manager.

Sinead McMurray takes up Iqbal’s former role as a senior credit analyst while Richard Tweddle becomes senior underwriter.

Both joined the business as graduate underwriters in 2022.

Many of Aspen’s team of 25 full-time staff joined through its graduate recruitment scheme.

Managing director Jack Coombs says: “The business has successfully grown these last few years which resulted in us recently surpassing the £500m lending landmark from when the business was founded in 2017.

“As we look upwards to £1bn worth of lending, which we are looking to realise in the next couple of years, we have to invest in the business and our core teams. 

“These promotions are all well-deserved and we are excited about the positive contribution they will make to the business going forwards.”