An industry leader with more than three decades of banking expertise has joined specialist lender Together to advise the group’s corporate team.
Stuart Heslop, the former managing director of real estate finance at the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) joined the finance group as a consultant.
Established in 1974, Together is based in Cheadle, Greater Manchester and has a loan book of more than £6.2billion.
Stuart, 53, moved from RBS last year following a successful 35-year career with the bank, including more than 14 years heading up its real estate finance business in Scotland and the North of England.
Following on from his recent success at the Scottish Property Awards where he was awarded the 2023 Business Leadership Award, he begins his new consultancy role for Together in Scotland and the North of England this month.
Stuart, said: “Together is unique in the market. It’s an entrepreneurial business with a huge appetite to deliver through fast decision-making processes and access to senior decision makers which helps clients quickly understand what finance is available to them to meet their ambitions.
“I’m excited to be able to help further expand the Together brand across Scotland and the North of England as the business continues it’s phenomenal growth, as well as advising the leadership team.”
Stuart began his career with RBS in Aberdeen delivering structured finance to support private equity acquisitions and management buyouts (MBOs). He was named Managing Director of Real Estate Finance, Scotland & North England and headed-up the bank’s social housing funding across the UK.
He is known for supporting place-making in Scotland and the North of England and is a non-executive director of urban regeneration company Clyde Gateway, which has been driving inward investment for communities in Glasgow and South Lanarkshire for more than a decade.
In addition, he is a non-executive director at Aberdeen-based commercial developer Knight Property Group and a member of the disciplinary committee of The Chartered Banker Institute, which upholds the professionalism and integrity of the banking industry.
Chris Baguley Group Channel Development Director at Together said “Stuart is known as a leader in the industry not just in Scotland but across the UK, so it’s with great pride that we’ve been able to appoint someone of such high calibre to advise on how we can grow the success of our business.
“As an executive and wider team, we’re really looking forward to working alongside Stuart, whose impressive knowledge and experience will prove a real asset to Together in meeting the ambitions of our clients and partners.”
Stuart’s appointment is the latest in several new senior hires and promotions by Together, in line with the company’s success and continued growth plans.