One of Barclays’ top real estate lending bankers has been poached by Aviva Commercial Finance.
Gregor Bamert is leaving his post as managing director and head of London real estate in Barclays’ corporate banking team to become the insurer’s head of commercial finance origination.
The appointment comes as alternative, non-bank lenders are becoming a crucial part of the real estate financing market and the rising volume of transactions is driving people moves as firms compete for talent.
Bamert has been at Barclays for 14 years. At Aviva he will report to managing director Barry Fowler, who joined the company in June last year, having previously been head of origination at Lloyds.
Fowler said: “[Bamert] brings a considerable wealth of experience in commercial finance origination and is a well-known figure in the real estate finance market.
“We are firmly committed to the UK real estate market and his knowledge of the sector will be a great asset as we expand our coverage in the market.”
Aviva is also searching for a new head of credit and looking to fill around 10 positions in the origination, relationship management and credit teams.
In February, it recruited Rob Broadbent as a director in its relationship management team. He was previously a director in Barclays’ debt finance team.
Aviva has a loan book of around £13bn and has completed almost £500m of deals so far this year. This month it provided two loans to listed firms: a £40m loan to Ediston Property Investment Company and a £55m ticket for McKay Securities.
Last year it agreed almost £1bn of deals, the largest of which was a £352m loan to Kennedy Wilson Europe Real Estate to fund its £503m purchase of a mixed-use portfolio previously controlled by the Noé family.
