Redwood Bank strengthens growth plans with key business development hire. 22nd June 2026 Redwood Bank has appointed Chris Butler as regional development manager as part of its ongoing lending expansion. Chris brings more than 20 years of banking experience across retail and commercial finance, including 19 years at Yorkshire Bank and most recently at Yorkshire Building Society, where he worked closely with brokers across the intermediary market. In his new role, Chris will focus on developing broker relationships in the North-East and Yorkshire, supporting Redwood's growth plans in 2026 and beyond. Chris said: "Redwood has exciting growth plans and a real appetite to do more in the commercial space. I was impressed with the structure and flexibility they offer to support brokers in the specialist lending space, with strong credit and underwriting backing their lending strategy. "What stood out to me was Redwood's willingness to continue evolving its proposition in response to broker and customer needs. From extended commercial interest-only terms and revised affordability metrics, through to increased portfolio lending limits, the Bank is creating greater flexibility and better outcomes for brokers and their clients." Chris believes strong relationships will remain central to his role as Redwood grows. "This job is all about relationships, meeting people, building trust and delivering on what you say you're going to do." He was drawn to Redwood's growth strategy and continued investment in its lending capabilities. "What excites me most is getting out there, raising awareness of Redwood, meeting new brokers and doing business I haven't been able to do before. Redwood's flexibility and broad product range mean we can support a wider variety of deals across different parts of the market." Chris was also drawn to Redwood's culture. "It feels like a family organisation. It really does seem like everybody gets on with everybody and it's a community, a real family." Gary Wilkinson, CEO and co-founder of Redwood Bank, said: "Chris's appointment reflects the pace of its growth and its ambition to continue building a stronger presence across key regional markets. As demand for specialist lending increases, Redwood Bank Limited is investing in experienced, broker focused talent to help Redwood Bank Limited scale in a disciplined and sustainable way. Chris brings deep market knowledge and long-standing broker relationships, which will be instrumental as Redwood Bank Limited expand its lending activity across the North-East and Yorkshire. His appointment strengthens its ability to support more brokers and customers, complete more deals, and deliver against its growth plans for 2026 and beyond. Redwood Bank Limited is continuing to evolve its proposition and broaden its reach, and people like Chris are central to that journey. His experience and approach align perfectly with its focus on building a responsive, relationship led bank that is well positioned for the future." Its savings products. Put your business cash to work with its simple, rewarding and easy to use business savings accounts. Its loan products. Help your business take advantage of property opportunities with its fast and simple business mortgage products.

Complex refinance delivered before bridge deadline. 20th April 2026 Home news complex refinance delivered before bridge deadline. A landlord with a diverse property portfolio, including a mix of residential investments and commercially let units, required a fast turnaround to refinance an existing bridging facility. The case was particularly complex due to the need for new SPVs, lease extensions across several properties and the requirement to release equity back into the business. Redwood Bank worked closely with broker Bespoq Finance to deliver a solution that balanced multiple layers of complexity with the need for speed, ensuring the transaction completed in time to avoid expensive penalties. THE SITUATION The properties were held under different ownership arrangements and needed to be transferred into new SPVs. One property required a lease extension prior to completion, while three commercial units were let to family members. The entire transaction was time-critical, with penalties looming on the expiring bridge. The first property was a commercial investment valued at £925,000, comprising three ground-floor commercial units, two of which had flats above. The second property was a semi-commercial investment valued at £330,000 with a six-bed HMO on the upper floors. The final property was valued at £125,000 and contained two ground-floor commercial units operating as a beauty business and a takeaway. Redwood's legal counsel, worked closely with the client's accountants to manage the mechanics of the ownership transfers and confirm that appropriate advice had been provided on capital gains tax and stamp duty land tax. THE SOLUTION Despite the overlapping challenges, Redwood approved and completed all three mortgages. The first loan totalled £627,555 at a 67.84 per cent LTV, structured as a 25-year commercial investment mortgage with a five-year fixed interest rate. The second property, a residential investment for HMO use, received a loan of £237,150 at a 71.86 per cent LTV on a 30-year interest-only term. The final property was granted a loan of £78,765 at a 63 per cent LTV with a 25-year commercial investment mortgage. The loans completed within four months from application to drawdown, allowing the customer to exit the bridging facility in time and avoid additional costs. THE EXPERIENCE Jane Hand, Regional Development Manager (North and Midlands) at Redwood, said: "This case reflects the sustained effort required to manage multiple moving parts simultaneously. There were ownership transfers, new SPVs to incorporate, a lease extension to secure and a strict deadline driven by the customer's expiring bridge. Completing three loans together within four months demonstrates its commitment to delivering at pace, even in complex circumstances. "Integrity and tenacity were equally as important. The team worked closely with the client's accountants to ensure tax considerations were properly addressed and its legal team supported the ownership transfers to ensure the customer received clear, responsible guidance throughout. Nothing was rushed, but everything moved forward with purpose. "Given the complexity, the customer needed certainty. By structuring the deal clearly and keeping momentum, we ensured that issues such as related-party leases and SPV creation did not derail progress. Completing all three loans together gave the customer confidence to move forward with their wider business plans." Lucy Hope, Director at Bespoq, said: "This case shows what can be achieved when lender and broker work together at pace. The background was complicated, but Redwood brought their specialist team, streamlined the process and delivered in time to avoid expensive penalties. "By managing the complexity behind the scenes, the bank made the experience feel straightforward for the customer at a time when they were taking on new responsibilities in the family business. What could have felt overwhelming was instead delivered in an efficient and organised way." Its savings products. Put your business cash to work with its simple, rewarding and easy to use business savings accounts. Its loan products. Help your business take advantage of property opportunities with its fast and simple business mortgage products.

Redwood bank celebrates eight years at the top. 17th April 2026 Home news Redwood bank celebrates eight years at the top. Redwood bank is celebrating after receiving an industry award for an incredible eighth successive year. Redwood Bank was presented with the Best Business Variable Rate Deposit Account Provider award at the 2026 Business Moneyfacts Awards to add to the seven other trophies at its Broadway head office. Jessica Darrah, Senior Savings Product Manager at Redwood Bank said: "Securing this award for the eighth-year running is a testament to the dedication and expertise of the entire Redwood team. We continually strive to offer our customers exceptional service and competitive products, and this recognition reinforces our commitment to excellence." Redwood's continued success in this category highlights its ability to deliver competitive, reliable savings solutions for UK businesses. In addition to this headline win, Redwood Bank was also shortlisted in two further categories: Best Business Fixed Account Provider and Best Service from a Commercial Mortgage Provider, demonstrating strong performance across its wider product range. The latest recognition adds to a growing list of accolades for the Bank in 2026, including: * Best Charity Savings Provider, Moneycomms Awards 2026 * Best Notice Business Savings, Moneycomms Awards 2026 * Best Monthly Interest Business Savings, Moneynet Awards 2026 The awards ceremony, held at Evolution London, brought together leading financial institutions from across the UK to celebrate excellence in service and innovation. Since launching in 2017, Redwood Bank has built a reputation for its fast, flexible approach to business banking, offering a range of award-winning savings accounts and commercial mortgages tailored to UK SMEs. Its savings products. Put your business cash to work with its simple, rewarding and easy to use business savings accounts. Its loan products. Help your business take advantage of property opportunities with its fast and simple business mortgage products.