Hampshire Trust Bank has promoted six existing staff members to underwriting roles within its bridging finance team.

Alex Klimcke, Olivia Colmer-Lynch, George Leaver and Ross Sheppard were previously business development executives, while Ella Hosier and Raj Aggarwal were internal lending managers.

All have now taken up underwriter positions, as part of HTB’s drive to increase its support for brokers.

It follows the recent appointment of Henry Manley-Cooper as deputy managing director within the bridging finance division.

Manley-Cooper says: “Brokers need clarity, access and consistency when they are structuring more complex cases.

“Strengthening the underwriting team with people who already understand those conversations helps connect what is discussed upfront with how decisions are made.

“It means cases can be shaped earlier, with a clearer view of the full strategy, and handled with the context that comes from working closely with brokers and their clients every day.

“That’s where the difference really sits.”