The Five Minute Interview with Charles Creak, Business Development Manager, KSEYE Bridging

KSEYE Bridging offers bespoke short-term finance solutions to property investors in England and Wales.

Founded by two entrepreneurial brothers, Jitendra Khagram and Nikes Khagram, KSEYE has been lending since 2012. Since inception, they have lent in excess of £250m.

KSEYE are a principal lender so all decisions are made in-house. With the benefit of years of experience, they are able to make sensible, commercial, decisions and deliver their trademark swift response.

We speak to East/East London BDM, Charles Creak:

What is the best thing about being in the bridging finance business?

It’s a fast pace, intellectually stimulating environment, where no two days are the same. Completing deals and assisting brokers raise finance for their clients is always a good feeling.

It’s also a relatively competitive market which makes winning deals and securing new broker relationships feel like even more of an achievement.

What keeps you focused?

I’m target driven by nature and want to succeed for myself and KSEYE Bridging.

Being a competitive market, founded on relationships, a key driver for me is maintaining high customer service levels to ensure repeat business.

What qualities do you look for in your employees or colleagues?

It all depends on the role, but you want to be working with a team who are knowledgeable in their field and motivated to deliver good customer service.

Everyone has their individual role to play but the key is for everyone to work to the same objective of completing deals in a responsible and timely manner.

Are you an optimist or a pessimist?

I’d say pessimist by nature but working towards becoming more of an optimist.

What did you want to be as a child?

Other than the standard dream of becoming a professional footballer, I spent a few years as a child thinking I was Tarzan which led me to want to become a zoo keeper.

Being allergic to cats and dogs I quickly realised it probably wasn’t the most suitable career for me. Fortunately, I also no longer believe I’m Tarzan.

What will be the greatest challenge facing the bridging finance industry in the coming months?

I think most people would say Covid-19; particularly the uncertainty around how long it will last and how it will affect the market.

Nevertheless, it should also present a number of opportunities for the bridging sector and those who can continue to lend.

We’ll hopefully see an uplift in clients requiring bridging finance to take advantage of new investment opportunities and we’re also seeing more clients using bridging finance as an alternative funding option. See – we can be optimistic (sometimes)!

Who or what makes you laugh?

Comedians – Micky Flanagan and Milton Jones.

Films/shows – Bad Grandpa stands out as a funny one. After Life – Ricky Gervais is also funny.

Do you dread Monday mornings?

Fortunately not. Being a BDM means that no two days are the same which keeps it interesting. There can be pressure, but pressure makes diamonds.

KSEYE also has a great company ethos and I work with a number of very supportive brokers.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I’d probably take note of my accomplishments a bit more, rather than taking them as a given and quickly moving onto the next opportunity or task.

With whom would you most like to have dinner?

Probably Dan Pena or Warren Buffet. I’d imagine a few tips from them could be quite lucrative.

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