Puma Property Finance has appointed Steve Emsley as its new finance director.
Emsley joins from Mitheridge Capital Management, where he was partner and chief financial officer.
Prior to that he spent almost eight years as chief financial officer at DRC Savills Investment Management (formerly DRC Capital), overseeing a period of growth that saw assets under management rise from £800m to £4.5bn and culminating in the 2021 sale to Savills Investment Management.
A chartered accountant, Emsley trained at BDO before moving to Federated Hermes Real Estate.
He brings more than 18 years of experience across real estate and fund management, including corporate finance, portfolio management, tax structuring, investor relations and treasury.
He will report to Paul Frost, managing director at Puma, and will lead structuring, operations and investor relations for Puma’s new institutional credit fund, as well as taking overall responsibility for the firm’s financial stewardship.
Paul Frost, managing director of Puma Property Finance, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Steve to the team.
“His proven expertise in supporting the growth of highly successful real estate credit fund businesses will be enormously valuable as we venture into this exciting next stage for Puma.
“With Madison’s cornerstone commitment and our team of highly experienced lending professionals, we are well positioned to attract further institutional capital and continue to scale our business.
“We are doubling down on our capacity to deliver tailored, relationship-driven funding solutions to leading UK developers as the cost of debt reduces and market prospects continue to improve.
“Steve’s appointment reflects our ambition and the strength of our track record, and we’re thrilled to have him on board as we enter this next phase of growth.”
Steve Emsley, finance director at Puma Property Finance, added: “This is an incredibly exciting time to be joining Puma.
“The recent partnership with Madison marks a significant step forward in the realisation of Puma’s institutional growth ambitions, and I’m excited to be coming on board to help implement that strategy.
“With its strong proven track record, Puma is perfectly positioned to attract further institutional investors and continue to scale its position in the market.”
