Rowland Thomas, Managing Director of Close Brothers Property Finance, will be retiring from the business at the end of July following 38 years with the lender. Deputy Managing Director, Daniel Joyce, will succeed him.
Rowland has played a major role in shaping the growth of the Property Finance division over the years, as it has increased its loan book to currently just under £2bn and established a reputation as the leading provider of development finance to SME housebuilders.
In addition to his responsibilities as Managing Director, overseeing the team of 100, Rowland personally managed a substantial portfolio of clients and funded countless projects over time across all the major property asset classes from small residential projects to large commercial schemes.
Daniel Joyce joined Close Brothers Property Finance over 25 years ago initially in a support function before his appointment to relationship manager in 2006. Daniel was promoted to the Property Finance Board in 2015, having successfully grown a large portfolio of residential development and commercial investment loans. He became Deputy Managing Director in August 2023.
Phil Hooper, Chief Executive Officer of Close Brothers Property Finance: “Rowland has made an enormous contribution to the growth and reputation of Close Brothers Property Finance. His strategic leadership and deep market knowledge have played a pivotal role in shaping the business we are today. I would like to thank him for his outstanding service over the years.”
“Although Rowland will be greatly missed, we are fortunate that Daniel will be stepping into the Managing Director role. With his extensive experience and deep understanding of the SME market he brings both continuity and new perspective to the role.”
Rowland Thomas says: “It has been hugely rewarding working alongside such a high calibre, dedicated and driven team at Close Brothers Property Finance, helping to support SME housebuilders through the ‘good times’ as well as some extremely challenging periods. It has also been a great pleasure and fascinating education to work with so many outstanding developers, investors and professionals over my career.
"In many ways, the business I leave is very different to the one I joined. However, the exceptional levels of service it provides to customers and its unwavering commitment to supporting and, increasingly, advocating on behalf of SMEs remain the same. I have every confidence that Daniel and his highly experienced Team, alongside Phil’s strong leadership of the business, will ensure that the business remains both a major supporter of and standard bearer for the sector.”
Daniel Joyce says: “It’s an honour to take on the role of Managing Director at such a pivotal time for the business, as we continue our unwavering support of SME housebuilders and grow and diversify into new markets like Build To Rent. Having worked closely alongside Rowland for over two decades, I’ve learned the value of his relationship-led approach to lending, and I look forward to continuing in that vein, whilst driving the business forward.”
