About us
We are Atelier
We believe in better property finance, by design. We create custom lending solutions that are designed in collaboration, driven by technological innovation and individual expertise, and strive to make a positive, lasting impact on communities and the environment.
We work with brokers and SME property developers around the UK. We provide the firepower and financial peace of mind that only an institutional lender can, and the reassurance that comes from working with a lending partner that shares your vision and is as committed to your goals as you are.
We are Bold: we lead with conviction and aren't scared to stand our ground.
We are Brave: we are open to new ideas, perspectives, and technologies.
We are Better: we are always open to improving our services, our expertise and ourselves.
We’re powered by innovation
Our technology supports our high-touch, high value relationships with our partners. It enables us to make faster lending decisions, create smarter solutions, and give you everything you need to take control of your loan facility anywhere, anytime.
We lend responsibly
Every loan we make is a carefully balanced combination of opportunity and risk – for us, our partners, and the planet. From targeting Net Zero to developing sustainable financing solutions we’re committed to making a positive impact across the ESG spectrum.
Why Atelier?
Built from the ground-up to the exacting standards of institutional investors, our flexible capital base, leading technology platform and team of seasoned real estate professionals enable us to source and execute the best opportunities quickly and safely. We provide our investors with a strong flow of high-quality investments, backed by reliable UK real estate assets.
Key metrics to date:
Total Lending | Total Loans Repaid | Loss of Principal |
---|---|---|
£380m+ | £153m+ | £Nil |
As at Sept 2022
Investing in UK real estate debt
Searching for value and resilience in a volatile, low return market, investors are increasingly seeking exposure to UK real estate through specialist debt. Real estate debt can deliver income, higher returns and provide diversification. Atelier understands the needs of institutional investors and has the capability to support diverse investor requirements.
Meet the team
Chris Gardner
Joint Chief Executive Officer

Chris has extensive experience across UK financial services. To date, he has built a leading mortgage intermediary business, which exited to a major Wall Street Bank, held a strategic mortgage role in a high street lender, and delivered the infrastructure to launch a challenger bank. Chris consults regularly, is an adviser to a leading mortgage fintech and is an elected Fellow of the London Institute of Banking. He also holds a Masters with Distinction in Financial Services Management, majoring in Risk & Compliance.

Graham Emmett
Joint Chief Executive Officer

Graham has over 35 years’ experience in UK and European Real Estate, structuring both equity and debt transactions and managing the credit risk of complex real estate asset and loan portfolios. Throughout a rich career, he has held leadership roles in multiple blue-chip international banking environments, a government-owned real estate work-out vehicle, an established UK private real estate asset manager, and most recently three non-bank alternative lending platforms focused primarily on the UK market.

Mark Burton
Non-executive Director

Mark brings global perspective and more than five decades of real estate experience to the board. In a career that has spanned international banking, fund management and investment, Mark has developed a deep understanding of the debt market and successfully brought innovative products to market. While at United Bank of Kuwait he launched three of the first UK CMBS issues, before going on to serve as CIO Real Estate at ADIA and ADIC, two sovereign wealth funds operating from Abu Dhabi. The former Chairman of the Investment Property Forum and of the Urban Land Institute UK, he brings unmatched expertise and independence to Atelier’s leadership team.
Paul Horn
Non-executive Director

Paul was formerly the Lead Partner at Arthur Andersen’s restructuring practice, and is currently Chairman of the Dublin-based developer Marlet. He has also served in both executive and non-executive director roles in a number of high-growth businesses. He has a long-standing and close relationship with M&G Investments, Atelier Capital Partners’ lead investor, and he brings a strong focus on financial rigour and governance as Atelier builds a strong and stable platform for growth.

Paul Silva
Chief Financial Officer

Paul graduated from the University of Nottingham in 2006 and has since built a powerful CV in the financial services sector. Whilst predominantly focusing on real estate and debt investments, Paul has acquired an impressive commercial skillset through working in senior positions across a number of established brands, including BDO, UBS, BlueCrest Capital, CaixaBank and, prior to joining Atelier, Puma Property Finance, where he was Finance Director. Now, as CFO at Atelier, his focus is to ensure the business is efficiently funded and that financial operations run seamlessly as Atelier’s strong growth trajectory continues.

John Fox
General Counsel

John Fox, who has an MA from Oxford University, is one of the most experienced property finance lawyers operating in the market today. Prior to joining Atelier, John practised banking law in the City for over 30 years and enjoyed the respect of his clients and colleagues for both his commercial mindset and his technical understanding of UK real estate finance issues. It’s a skillset that he is putting to full effect in his role of General Counsel at Atelier Capital Partners.

Martin Gilsenan
Chief Originations Officer

A well-known and respected figure in the development and short-term finance sector, Martin has an impressive track record of entrepreneurialism and a contacts book that is second to none. During a three decade career in real estate finance he has become a trusted, ‘go-to’ partner for the broker community, having served as Director of Sales at Fortwell Capital and at Money Partners Limited. He joined Atelier Capital Partners from Iron Bridge Finance, where he sat on the board as Managing Director for Sales, and now plays a key role as Atelier consolidates its growth and continues to boost origination capacity.

Rebecca Nutt MRICS
Director of Portfolio Management

Rebecca is a well-respected Building Surveyor and Bank Monitor with over 15 years’ experience in the property industry, and has worked at established brands such as Colliers International and MDA Consulting Ltd. She has acted on countless commercial and residential schemes, funded by a vast range of lenders from Barclays, RBS and Coutts to Investec, Lloyds and Hampshire Trust. Rebecca lives and breathes risk management and her impressive track record reflects this.

Alan MacLeod
Director of Credit

Alan is a corporate banker and chartered accountant with more than 20 years of experience in property finance, gained across a number of major high street banks including the Lloyds Banking Group and Santander. He has an instinctive ability to pinpoint solutions to complex and difficult transactions and articulate them to the broker, borrower and professional teams.

Richard Nettleingham
Compliance Consultant

Richard’s role is to hardwire the highest standards of compliance, conduct and corporate governance into everything Atelier does. As a former Head of Compliance at both Zopa and Shawbrook Bank, he has a firm grasp of the challenges high-growth financial institutions can face, as well as how best to control risk and consistently deliver the best customer outcomes. An open-minded and authoritative external consultant, he challenges Atelier’s assumptions and is integral to the business’s drive to never stop improving.

Simon Dawson
Head of Technology and Data

Simon’s mission is to deploy technology which supports high-touch, high-value relationships. He has been central to Atelier’s innovative Fintech developments, which include online account management for borrowers and brokers. Simon has a deep understanding of the power of data and how it can be used to reduce risk and improve the customer experience. He has broad experience delivering innovation to a variety of banks and specialist lenders.

Reece Lake
Head of Business Operations

Reece has over 15 years’ experience within financial services across banking, insurance, wealth and asset management, and development finance. His experience spans working for a big 4 consultancy, SME companies and multi-nationals. Reece works across the business to identify and deliver strategic objectives ensuring the Atelier operational infrastructure runs smoothly.

Smithi Sharma
ESG & Assurance Manager

Smithi manages Atelier’s ESG programme, ensuring all our affairs are conducted in accordance with the highest ethical standards. Smithi believes that responsible lending does not mean sacrificing performance, and that property finance should fund homes that have a positive impact on local communities. Prior to joining Atelier, she worked with a number of leading mortgage lenders.

Paul Hayward
Senior Investment Manager
Matthew Measures
Senior Investment Manager

As the former Head of Loan Analysis at Hampshire Trust Bank, Matthew brings a strong analytic approach to complex funding arrangements. Particularly where extra leverage is required, Matthew’s creative approach can often find additional headroom in a loan structure and add real value to client-broker relationships.

Anthony Dobinson
Senior Investment Manager

Anthony is an experienced real estate professional with in-depth knowledge in credit risk management, particularly in the SME developer market. He has worked on a wide breadth of transactions and complexity and draws on that wealth of experience to identify creative solutions. Anthony’s CV includes twelve years at HSBC working as a due diligence and transaction execution manager.

Avi Miller
Senior Investment Manager
Raj Hothi
Senior Investment Manager

Raj works within the credit team and is responsible for structuring and underwriting a range of loan facilities for professional property developers. He holds an MSc in investment analysis and is an experienced real estate debt advisor. His work underpins Atelier's core purpose - helping developers turn development opportunities into successful schemes - and is helping us grow our assets under management in a sustainable way.

Simon Joseph
Lending Manager

Simon is an integral part of Atelier’s origination and new business development team. Before joining, he spent seven years in the mezzanine finance market. Simon is a hands-on relationship builder who brings a wealth of experience in progressing enquiries into completed loans.
Rav Kudhail
Lending Manager

With a degree in Civil Engineering, designing and building complex structures is in Rav’s blood. He plays a key role in the lending team, where he is responsible for building Atelier’s direct to developer channel. He joined the company in 2021, having previously worked at a number of commercial development lenders across the Midlands and the South East.

George Seabrook
Lending Manager

George has a wealth of experience working with developers and brokers to structure bespoke development deals to meet specific project requirements. He has strong relationships with residential developers and brokers across the UK. Before joining the originations team at Atelier to help realise company growth ambitions, he spent 5 years at Hampshire Trust Bank.

Harley Stairmand
Associate Lending Manager

Leveraging a degree in finance from Loughborough University and 5 years experience in bespoke development finance, Harley’s skill at designing tailored solutions to complex challenges has him a popular choice with brokers. Since he joined Atelier in May 2019, he has played a key role in optimising loan facilities for both borrowers and brokers right at the outset of their enquiry.

Patrick Briffa
Development Monitor

Patrick is a Chartered Building Surveyor. He has excellent experience working with private clients, businesses and institutional investors in both residential and commercial sectors. His previous role as an independent monitoring surveyor is invaluable in the day-to-day management he provides to our clients.

Peter Messenger
Development Monitor
Oscar Appleby
Asset Manager

Oscar manages a portfolio of loans throughout their lifetime with Atelier. Working with borrowers and Independent Monitoring Surveyors, Oscar has a hands-on role and navigates potential challenges to ensure developments are delivered successfully on time and in budget. Oscar has a master’s degree in Real Estate from the University of Reading which further adds to the property expertise within the Portfolio team.

Slav Melnikovs
Asset Manager

Slav manages a portfolio of loans throughout their lifetime with Atelier. Working with borrowers and Independent Monitoring Surveyors, Slav takes an analytical and solutions-based approach to risk management which he uses to navigate potential challenges and issues. Slav has an Investment and Finance in Property degree from the University of Reading and over 12 years’ experience working in Asset management and Real Estate Data Analytics companies.

Nik Mills
Financial Controller

Nik qualified as a Chartered Accountant with PwC and has 7 years of post-qualified experience. Since leaving PwC he has held roles across a variety of finance functions in the Aviation, Telecoms, and Development Finance sectors. Nik is responsible for Atelier’s reporting and treasury management and works closely with the SMT and board providing insights into the performance of the Atelier business.

Honor Sharp
Capital Markets & Treasury Analyst

Honor is part of the team that provides Atelier’s financial foundations, and who have together built a lending business with a strong, liquid balance sheet and a mix of capital sources. Honor holds a first class degree in Economics, and her expert analysis of the capital markets is central to the way we grow our balance sheet and helps us manage our cash as efficiently as possible.

Hannah Smith
Business Analyst

Hannah works within our business operations team. She holds a first class MSc in Mathematics and her career has been focused on managing major financial tech projects. With her keen eye for detail and deep tech expertise, she is integral to our drive to give our borrowers unmatched levels of visibility and control of their loan facilities. She is also focused on providing continuous improvements to the Atelier customer experience.

Edward Foster
CRM/ABM Manager

Edward works within the business development team and is responsible for managing the Atelier CRM platform and business development strategy. He specialises in research, client relations and sales. From sourcing new clients to identifying business development opportunities within existing accounts, Edward’s proactive approach to client relations helps fuel the growth of the business.

Bruce Robertson
Lending Manager

Bruce has an extensive background in banking and lending spanning more than 35 years. Based in Edinburgh, his knowledge and experience of the Scottish market makes him an asset to the company. He has a very strong and large network of residential brokers and developers across the UK. He is also a distinguished member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers in Scotland.

Mike Page
Lending Manager

Mike manages the origination of new loans across south west England and south Wales. With over two decades of experience within the development finance sector, Mike has a deep understanding of deals and loan structuring. His robust connections with residential brokers and developers makes him a valued lending partner within the development community


Looking to join our team?
We believe that it takes a proactive, progressive approach to consistently deliver a high standard of service and make the best decisions. If you’re interested in joining our team, check out our careers page for current opportunities.