Hampshire Trust Bank strengthens Development Finance team with lending director appointment and senior promotions
Hampshire Trust Bank (HTB) has strengthened its Development Finance team with the appointment of Jake Sweeney as lending director, alongside a series of senior promotions as it continues to invest in experienced decision-making across its development finance proposition.
Sweeney joined the bank in January 2026, moving from Goldentree Financial Services PLC, where he spent more than nine years working across residential-led development projects. He will be based in the North West, supporting developers and their advisers across the region, while also working with contacts nationwide. His appointment adds further depth to the Development Finance lending team, supporting its regionally focused approach to development lending.
Alongside the new appointment, the bank has promoted Joseph Gibson to lending manager, with Andrew Dignum and Sarah Dix promoted to senior lending directors. Abbie Mace will also take up a new role as operations and data analyst from 1 March 2026, strengthening reporting, insight and operational oversight as the Development Finance proposition continues to scale.
The changes build on continued investment in Development Finance, following the appointment of Mike Tierney as lending director in September 2025. Together, the appointments and promotions reflect a deliberate focus on strengthening both origination and delivery, ensuring brokers and property professionals have access to experienced judgement and consistent decision-making throughout the lifecycle of a scheme.
Jake Sweeney, lending director, Development Finance at HTB, said: “I am pleased to be joining HTB’s Development Finance team. What matters in this part of the market is applying sound judgement consistently as schemes move through delivery, particularly when circumstances change. The approach to staying closely engaged through that process was a big attraction for me, and I am looking forward to contributing to the team.”
Neil Leitch, Managing Director, Development Finance at HTB, said: “These appointments and promotions reflect a very deliberate approach to how we build our Development Finance team. We focus on supporting experienced SME developers, and the brokers and property professionals who work alongside them, with certainty, regional understanding and pragmatic judgement. Having the right experience involved early, and staying engaged as projects evolve, is critical. Strengthening the team in this way gives us the depth and continuity to support schemes through planning, delivery and exit, even when timelines shift, with the confidence that facilities agreed at the outset remain dependable.”