Reporting to Rob Syrett, head of originations for development finance, Ashling brings more than a decade of banking experience, including seven years specialising in development finance.

She joins from Paragon Development Finance, where she progressed through a series of roles spanning credit, portfolio management and relationship management, most recently serving as senior portfolio manager.

The appointment follows a number of recent additions across HTB’s development finance team as the bank continues to expand its regional origination presence.

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Ashling said: “What attracted me to HTB was the combination of experienced decision-making and a genuinely relationship-led approach to development finance.

“I’ve spent the last seven years working closely with developers and brokers, and I’ve seen first-hand how important strong relationships, consistent communication and pragmatic decision-making are as projects progress.

“I'm looking forward to working with the team, our broker partners and developers across the Midlands.”

Rob added: “Ashling brings a valuable perspective because she has spent years working alongside live development projects and understands the decisions and challenges that arise as schemes move through delivery.

“She’ll be a fantastic addition to the team.”