Get to know Vince, Relationship Director at Secure Trust Bank Real Estate Finance:
1. What is your career path up to now?
Having graduated with a degree in Economics and Politics from the University of Exeter, I spent some time travelling in Southeast Asia, which was a fantastic experience, before taking up my first job as a Field Sales Manager for a boutique design company.
I transitioned into the banking industry in 2010 and ended up working at Barclays for around 12 years. During my time there, I held various roles in retail banking, business banking, and real estate finance.
I joined Secure Trust Bank in 2022, as I wanted to be part of a relationship-led team focused on delivering large, and often complex, real estate finance deals. The past two years have flown by!
2. What are the main responsibilities of your role?
I am primarily responsible for the origination of residential property investment and property development loans, as well as managing a small portfolio of existing clients. Much of my time is spent building relationships with property professionals and finance brokers, working closely with them to structure deals. I then present these to our credit partners, having fully considered and mitigated the risks involved.
3. What challenges in your role do you most enjoy overcoming?
Much of what we do here at Secure Trust Bank involves thinking outside the box. We often deal with complex transactions in a time-pressured environment. No two deals are the same either, and each transaction requires a blend of analytical, technical, and problem-solving skills. There is nothing more rewarding than delivering the right outcome for both the client and the bank!
4. What is your career highlight to date?
No specific highlight immediately comes to mind, but the best part of my career to date has been the long-lasting relationships I have built with both clients and colleagues alike. I have been very fortunate to have met some incredibly inspirational, knowledgeable, and kind people over the years, many of whom I have had the pleasure of helping to grow their businesses.
Only recently I attended an old client's 50th birthday celebrations, having known them for over 10 years. It was a music-themed cocktail night that culminated in the birthday boy serenading the crowd with a band he had formed - proof that property people are not just one-trick ponies!
5. What is one piece of advice you're glad you took/ignored?
A manager that I worked with early on in my career would often say, "It always starts with the person." This resonated with me then and continues to do so today.
The first and most important consideration in any lending decision is the person that I'm dealing with. I always ask myself whether they display important traits such as honesty and integrity, alongside the necessary skillset required to be successful in their endeavours.
6. What is the most enjoyable project you have been involved in at work?
One of the most stressful but rewarding work projects I have been involved in took place during the COVID-19 pandemic. I volunteered for a three-month secondment into the role of a Credit Manager to support my employers' efforts in rolling out the government-backed Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS).
This involved underwriting loans made to a cross-sector of SME businesses that were struggling during the pandemic. It was immensely rewarding to know that I played my part in helping these businesses make it through a time of huge uncertainty.
7. What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
My greatest passions are food and travel. They go hand in hand, as I often find myself planning holidays around where I'd like to eat!
Back in 2012, myself and a friend, who is also a foodie, set up a weekend gig selling burritos at a food market in Islington, London. Unfortunately, owing to work commitments, we eventually wound down the venture, but who knows, this might be something I pick up again in the future!