The UK’s commercial real estate sector is predicted to see £33 billion of refinancing in 2026, which according to Robert Irving Burns (RIB) is going to create a significant equity gap.
The large maturity cohort is refinancing into a market of higher-for-longer interest rates, lower loan-to-value ratios and repriced assets. To help clients bridge the burgeoning equity gap, RIB has launched RIB Private Finance, a specialist real estate finance advisory, to complement the established investment, commercial and residential departments, creating a fully integrated, multidisciplinary firm.
Real estate finance heavyweight, Adam Jaffe, has been appointed as Senior Director of the private finance practice and brings over 25 years’ experience in the London real estate finance market, across lending, borrowing and asset management. Sitting alongside Adam is RIB’s CEO, Antony Antoniou, whose deep sector expertise in sophisticated investment management, structured funds, syndicated and co-investment products spans both RIB’s commercial and investment departments and family office Aspida Capital, of which he is Managing Director.
Antony Antoniou, CEO, RIB, comments: “Over more than 60 years, RIB has built an enviable reputation as one of the West End’s leading property advisories, and offering real estate finance advisory is a natural extension of that expertise. It launches at a critical moment for our clients, who need disciplined, professional counsel to navigate today’s market. The capital is there and lenders are offering increasingly sophisticated solutions to the equity challenge — but knowing how and where to apply them is what makes the difference. I’m delighted to welcome Adam to lead the team, and I look forward to seeing this practice grow alongside our established departments.”
The new senior-led advisory team is working with investors, lenders and developers to create and protect value across new and existing real estate assets and portfolios. The professional, tailored services position the ambitions and objectives of its client at heart, with a focus on trust, practical judgement and clear specialist advice throughout the process.
Adam Jaffe, Senior Director, RIB Private Finance, says: “Having worked as both borrower and lender through fluctuating real estate markets, I’m excited to bring that experience to a part of the market that has been underserved for too long. Working alongside Antony and the wider RIB team means our advice is grounded in deep transactional knowledge across the wider property market and the underlying assets — not just the debt secured against them.”
The business will take a relationship-driven approach, advising clients through the lifecycle, from origination and structuring through to completion. The team’s combined 55+ years’ experience will be deployed across the full suite of real estate finance advisory services, helping to evaluate and structure a range of financial solutions. The team are advising on structured debt and equity, financial modelling, asset, scheme or portfolio streamlining and simplification, restructuring and contingency planning and recapitalisation.
