United Trust Bank has bolstered its bridging finance sales team with two appointments.

The lender has promoted Owen Bentley to head of sales and hired Scott Apps as a business development manager, who will work with brokers across London and the South East.

It says the expansion of this team comes at a “period of unprecedented growth” in the bank’s bridging business following a record year for new lending last year, with higher volumes of enquiries and completions being carrying on into 2021.

Bentley joined United Trust Bank in 2019 as a BDM and was later promoted to key account manager.

In Bentley’s new role as head of sales, he assumes responsibility for the bridging sales team, comprising Paul Delmonte, Nick Warren, Paul Mansell and new appointment Scott Apps, as they work with brokers across England, Wales and Scotland.

The lender adds, Bently will also support director of bridging, Gavin Diamond, and sales director –property intermediaries, Mike Walters, to develop its bridging products, processes and services.

The business says Scott Apps is an experienced BDM who has worked in specialist property finance for over seven years, most recently with lender Castle Trust.

It adds, Apps will work with brokers across London and the South East across all of the bank’s bridging portfolio, and is “particularly knowledgeable in unregulated loans”.

United Trust Bank director – bridging Gavin Diamond says: “We’re seeing exceptional demand for UTB’s flexible and competitive short-term funding from brokers up and down the country and we’re continuing to develop our sales team to ensure we can support brokers who are embracing bridging as a versatile part of their specialist property finance tool-kit.”

In July, broker network Sesame Bankhall Group added United Trust Bank to its PMS Mortgage Club and Sesame Network’s lender panels.

United Trust Bank works across asset finance, motor finance, bridging finance, development finance, specialised mortgages, and structured finance. It operates in England, Wales, and mainland Scotland.