‘We couldn’t achieve the results we do if we didn’t all pull together’

Fiduciam is an institutionally funded marketplace lender.  It provides short-term loans secured over real estate in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Belgium and Switzerland, from £250k to £25m, for loan terms of six months to three years, both in pound sterling and in euro.

With its flexible, efficient and competitive approach to lending it helps small and medium sized businesses grow and prosper.

We speak to case manager Charles Allen:

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

Bridging is quite different to other sectors in financial services. I love its fast-paced environment and completing complex deals for our clients, many of whom have very different needs and problems to solve.

There is always something new to learn.

What keeps you focused?

When things are moving so quickly it’s hard not to be focused. We are always working to tight deadlines and trying to get difficult deals over the line.

These two things alone are enough to keep anyone focussed, especially when you know the end result is going to make a real difference to your client.

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

The most important thing is for my colleagues to be team players. Working as a team helps us all overcome complex problems and, in bridging, we have a lot of complicated cases.

We couldn’t achieve the results we do if we didn’t all pull together.

Of course, that’s on the serious side, they also need to be able to have a laugh.

Are you an optimist or a pessimist?

Definitely, an optimist. I always try to see the good in a situation. That can be hard, especially at the moment, but I am definitely a glass half full kind of person.

What did you want to be as a child?

As a child, and to this day, a guitarist. I still try to play as much as I can.

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

Unfortunately, there is only one answer to this at the moment and that’s coronavirus and its impact on the global economy.

This was an event which was completely unexpected and that will be with us for the foreseeable future. It has had an effect on the bridging market but fortunately our diversified business model allowed us to navigate this storm quite well.

A lot of our UK business is currently focussed on the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme.  And, now that the scheme has been extended, this will be the case until at least the end of the year.

Who or what makes you laugh?

Peter Kay, his style of observational comedy is great and it makes me laugh every time.

Do you dread Monday mornings?

Never, it is the start of new week with new possibilities. There will always be times of course, so perhaps ‘never’ is a little strong, but in general Mondays are a good day.

Almost as good as Friday!

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

I’m sure other people would say I probably talk too much. So perhaps I might learn to listen as much as I talk.

With whom would you most like to have dinner?

That’s an easy one for a ‘wannabe’ guitarist like me. It has to be Jimi Hendrix, the greatest guitarist of all time.

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