Hilco Real Estate Finance (HREF), part of Hilco Global, has expanded its operations into Ireland with the opening of a new office in Dublin.
The move marks a significant milestone in the specialist lender’s international growth strategy and reflects its confidence in the Irish real estate market.
The new office, located in Fitzwilliam Square, will initially focus on providing residential and commercial bridging loans, with a wider range of lending products expected to launch in 2026.
The offering is aimed at property investors and asset managers seeking flexible, responsive finance solutions at competitive rates.
HREF’s Dublin operations will be led by managing director Stephen Lillis, alongside head of origination Eamon O’Rourke and origination lead Colm O’Sullivan.
The team will be supported by HREF’s established underwriting and back-office functions based in London.
Brad Altberger, CEO of HREF, said: “Our entry into the Irish market signals our continued European growth. Ireland’s robust commercial property sector and strong investment fundamentals make it a natural next step for HREF.
“Our goal is to bring a responsive, relationship-driven lending solution to Irish borrowers looking for flexible funding to support their property ambitions.”
Stephen Lillis, managing director of HREF Ireland, added: “This is an exciting moment for HREF as we expand further into the Irish market.
“We’re bringing a proven lending model that combines speed of execution and clarity of decision-making, with highly competitive rates.
“We look forward to working closely with investors and intermediaries to deliver tailored finance solutions that support growth and unlock opportunity across the commercial property sector.”
HREF has already completed transactions in the Irish market, including financing the Kogreg portfolio of 14 residential properties across the South of Ireland earlier this year, with further deals in the pipeline.
Max Lewis, chief investment officer at HREF, said: “By combining the institutional levels of reliability that we have from our committed funding base, with a truly entrepreneurial and unconstrained approach to lending, we genuinely believe we are adding something exciting and different to the Irish real estate lending market.”
