Pluto Finance appoints Stephen Ryan as lending director

By Bridging Loan Directory 17th March 2025

Pluto Finance, a leading provider of private credit for UK property developers, has appointed Stephen Ryan as Lending Director for Wales.

This follows a recent £30m commitment from the Wales Pension Partnership (WPP) to provide credit for SME housebuilders and developers to build much-needed housing through Pluto Finance’s local impact investment programme.

Stephen brings nearly 30 years of commercial banking experience and has a strong track record of supporting and enabling residential and commercial development projects.

His most recent role was at Principality Commercial, where, for more than eight years, he focused on helping Welsh residential developers secure funding to deliver housing across region.

Prior to this, Stephen held senior positions at Handelsbanken, Santander, and Allied Irish Bank.

Following the initial £30m investment from WPP, Pluto is actively expanding its presence in Wales, strengthening its support for SME housebuilders and developers to help deliver much-needed housing and commercial projects across the region.

Stephen will be instrumental in deploying this funding by leveraging his extensive network and deep regional knowledge.

Pluto is committed to providing innovative and flexible funding solutions for SME developers, which are facing ongoing challenges accessing traditional bank finance.

By working closely with local SME housebuilders and developers, Pluto aims to support the drive for economic growth, regional regeneration and create jobs within Welsh communities.

Justin Faiz, CEO of Pluto Finance said:

“Stephen’s extensive experience in and strong knowledge of the Welsh developer market make him a valuable addition to our team.

His appointment significantly strengthens our presence in Wales and means we can hit the ground running in deploying the capital recently provided by WPP and other investors.

This will help housebuilders access the capital needed to build affordable homes and support local economies and regional regeneration.”

Stephen Ryan, Lending Director for Wales at Pluto Finance, added:

“I am delighted to be joining Pluto Finance at an exciting time for the company as it launches its local impact investment programme with WPP.

The firm’s innovative approach, working closely with local authorities to provide meaningful local impact opportunities, is a fantastic opportunity to support developers across Wales.

I look forward to working with the team to help deliver much-needed funding solutions that will drive growth and regeneration in the region.”