Hampshire Trust Bank has hired three new relationship managers within its development finance division. 

The lender says the move will improve support for the small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) developers that it works with.

Serena Rahim Shah joins HTB from Arbuthnot Latham, bringing experience across real estate finance, commercial banking and restructuring. 

Tom Genner joins from Avamore Capital, where he worked in credit analysis and investor relations after beginning his career at Savills. 

Olivia Emmett joins from Pivot Finance, having previously held an analyst role at Atelier focused on specialist property lending.

All three new relationship managers will report to HTB head of relationship management development finance Michael O’Donnell.

O’Donnell says: “We are delighted to welcome Serena, Tom and Olivia to the relationship management team. 

“Each brings the experience, understanding and client focus that reflect how we work at HTB.

“Our team stays close to every project from day one, working alongside developers and brokers to anticipate challenges early and keep funding aligned to how schemes evolve.

“On every transaction, a broker and borrower have direct access to both a lending director and a relationship manager, ensuring there is always someone who understands the deal and can resolve issues quickly.

“Relationship managers play a key role in structuring and onboarding, acting as a constant point of contact for our clients throughout the life of a project. 

“We know conditions on site can change quickly, so having the right people in place to respond and keep things moving is essential.

“As our portfolio grows, expanding our relationship management function ensures every client continues to receive the same accessibility, clarity and consistency that define HTB. 

“These appointments strengthen our ability to support developers through every stage of their project, from first drawdown to final completion.”