Cohort Capital expands leadership team
Cohort Capital, a leading short-term bridging finance provider for UK and European borrowers, has expanded its senior team with the addition of Dipen Patel as chief commercial officer, Eli Korman as chief risk o, and Victoria Edwards as a consultant.
Dipen Patel will assist with the firm’s commercial strategy and origination across the UK and continental Europe. Patel has over 17 years’ real estate, banking, restructuring and investment experience – he joins Cohort Capital from Catalina Re, an Apollo Global Management affiliate, where he was head of CRE & CML. Patel joined Catalina Re in 2017, pitching a high-yield real estate debt strategy. He was made head of CRE & CML in 2023 to oversee the management of Catalina’s real estate equity and high-yield debt portfolio.
Prior to Catalina Re, Dipen spent over six years in banking and then helped Europa Capital grow its UK lending business and establish the platform as an alternative commercial real estate lender in the UK SME market. To date, Patel has executed over £1.7bn of senior and mezzanine corporate real estate opportunities in the UK and Ireland, ranging from £3m-£200m.
Additionally, Eli Korman has been appointed as chief risk officer, bringing 18 years’ experience in property and finance. Most recently, he served as chief investment officer at TAB, where he played a pivotal role in expanding the company’s loan book from £25m to £250m. He also worked closely with three institutional funders and chaired the Credit Committee. Eli began his career within Investment Banking before transitioning to property development and investment, before joining TAB during which he has contributed to almost 400 loan transactions.
Victoria Edwards also joins Cohort Capital as a Consultant following 18 years at Forsters LLP, a leading law firm renowned for its private client and real estate focus. Edwards leaves as head of the Banking team and having served as a Partner for 14 years. Edwards advised lenders and borrowers on a wide range of real estate finance deals including bridging, development, and investment debt, for a variety of real estate assets including purpose-build student accommodation, hotels, residential development schemes, office and logistics.
Matt Thame, co-founder and CEO at Cohort Capital, commented: “Dipen, Eli, and Victoria embody the experience and leadership we value, each bringing an impressive track record and deep expertise.
“Following another strong year, this is an optimum time to invest in our team and enhance our capabilities. We are thrilled to welcome all three to the team and are excited to see their impact as we prepare for another highly successful year.”
Dipen Patel added: “Cohort Capital has already established itself at the forefront of the alternative real estate lending market and I am eager to support and be a part of the firm through the next phase of its expansion. Working with the wider team, I will focus on leveraging our strengths to propel sustainable growth. The firm has already achieved huge success, and I look forward to seeing how much further we can go.”
Eli Korman commented: “After years of refining my expertise in property development, investment, and credit, I am excited to join Cohort Capital to guide the firm through its next stage of growth. Over the course of my career, I’ve had the privilege of working on more than 400 property and loan transactions whilst driving significant portfolio expansion. I look forward to applying this experience to help Cohort solidify its leading position in the bridging finance market.”
Victoria Edwards commented: “The changing tax landscape and banks retrenching further from real estate debt markets both make this is an exciting time for Cohort to expand and explore new opportunities. In particular, the changes to Capital Gains Tax and Stamp Duty Land Tax may encourage investors to lean on bridging finance in order to facilitate quick completions.
“Cohort has a particularly compelling offering and its reputation as an agile and reliable funding partner drew me to join the team. I look forward to leveraging my experience to support borrowers exploring finance secured against a variety of prime real estate assets.”
