Gareth Lewis has spent the past seven years at MT Finance, guiding the specialist lender through periods of significant market turbulence and expansion.
In a candid interview at Liverpool Street’s Piccolino restaurant, a stone’s throw from MT Finance towers, Lewis reflects on the lessons he has learned, the strategies that have underpinned the company’s growth and the principles that shape his leadership today.
“Probably one of the key lessons you learn is about being self-reflective,” Lewis says when asked about navigating sudden market shifts.
“It’s easy in any market to get stuck in your own way [of doing things], to not think about how your decisions impact others, and not just internally, but across the marketplace and the wider chain.”
This commitment to reflection has informed MT Finance’s approach to lending. Lewis, who was promoted to the newly-created role of deputy CEO in June, emphasises that resilience in the market comes from self-awareness: pausing, assessing, and asking whether the business is delivering value to both brokers and end customers.
“You have to remain true to the identity that’s you’ve built; it provides resilience to weather any storms,” he explains.
STRATEGIC GROWTH
Under Lewis’s leadership, alongside founders Joshua Elash and Tomer Aboody, MT Finance has expanded its reach beyond bridging into buy-to-let and commercial lending. The strategy, he explains, is guided by a simple principle: complement your existing strengths rather than reinvent the wheel.
“I’ve always been competitive and driven,” he says. “If you take bridging as a singular investment, we’re probably third in the market, but our aspiration is to be first. How do you grow? You improve what you’re already doing while staying true to the DNA of the business.”
Bridging, Lewis notes, is nuanced – it cannot be entirely reinvented. Instead, MT Finance focuses on optimising existing operations and exploring natural synergies.
“If we’re writing hundreds of millions in bridging for investment properties, why wouldn’t we also do buy-to-let mortgages? There’s a natural home for that lending.”
Similarly, commercial lending offers opportunities to leverage the company’s expertise, but any new area of lending for MT Finance must not affect its existing operations.
“It has to complement the other side. You don’t want to do anything that annoys the brokers who feed you,” he says.
It’s more than clear that MT Finance’s growth, then, is deliberate, measured and rooted in long-term relationships.
PROBLEM-SOLVING LENDING
Lewis is keenly aware of how brokers perceive the company. “70% of our brokers see us as a bridging lender, but they’re starting to see us as bridging and buy-to-let, and eventually bridging, buy-to-let and commercial.”
Central to this perception is MT Finance’s problem-solving approach.
“I want people to talk about us as a lender that finds solutions,” he says. “It’s about flexible lending, not just providing a product. A broker might bring a complex transaction – it’s our job to see if we can make it work.”
This approach contrasts sharply with automated lending systems.
“Most mortgage lenders now rely on light-touch, computer-generated decisions,” Lewis says.
“But bridging still requires human judgment. You need to understand the transaction, the client’s profile and how risks can be mitigated.”
That’s why Lewis argues technology is a tool rather than a replacement for expertise. While electronic ID verification, automated valuation models (AVMs) and digital data gathering can accelerate underwriting, they cannot replace judgement.
THE HUMAN TOUCH
“The kitchen will never be a technology,” he says with a smile. “Information and data gathering are crucial but the human side of understanding is irreplaceable.”
In practice, this means combining speed with scrutiny.
“We can verify ID, perform AVMs, and check Open Banking data within minutes,” Lewis explains, “but we still build a full picture of the transaction – why the client wants a bridge now, how the property was acquired, and what risks exist.”
THAT’S MY PEROGATIVE
Lewis’s role as deputy CEO has allowed him to shape the business while remaining close to the operational heart of MT Finance.
“Evolution only comes from what you’re already doing,” he says. “Whether managing a department or leading the company, the goal is the same: drive growth, self-reflect and identify opportunities to present ourselves to the marketplace.”
Priorities shift day to day, he admits. Currently, the focus is on growing the mortgage side of the business, refining distribution and ensuring the right talent is in place.
“You hire people to do a job but you also look at how they can grow. It’s about giving people the chance to challenge themselves and learn on the job,” he explains.
MT’S GOT TALENT
Office culture is central to Lewis’s vision. MT Finance maintains a five-day ‘in office’ policy, reflecting the value of learning through proximity and dialogue.
He strongly believes that hybrid working arrangements can limit growth opportunities for younger staff.
“If someone joins and works remotely two days a week, they miss the internal conversations, the chatter that builds understanding,” he says.
Cross-training is another key component. Underwriters rotate between bridging and buy-to-let to understand different product lines, while sales staff are encouraged to learn the underwriting process.
“Understanding the transaction makes you a better salesperson,” Lewis says. “It’s about confidence and competence across the journey – from underwriting to completion.”
CHANGING PERCEPTIONS
Bridging loans were once seen as a last-resort option. But Lewis emphasises how the market has evolved: “25 years ago, bridging was a loan of last resort. Today, it’s a solution-oriented transaction. People need flexibility – maybe they have a credit blip or an unusual asset – and bridging provides a way to move forward.”
He adds that the emotional component is often as important as the financial one.
“A bridging loan might not save money, but it can save emotional stress – helping someone secure the home they need in the right school catchment area or near family.”
MOTIVATIONALLY SPEAKING
Money, Lewis says, has never been his motivator. “I’m very competitive, but what drives me is making a difference and building the best version of ourselves as a business.
“If everyone is the best version of themselves, then we have the best business it can possibly be.”
Looking at the market as a whole, he sees an improving picture, particularly in terms of transparency in decision-making.
“Lenders should own the decisions they make. You can’t hide behind false information.
The market is far better than it used to be, but you have to be willing to take responsibility for your choices.”
ALWAYS LEARNING
As our late lunch draws to a close Lewis hammers home the importance of education, both for staff and the wider marketplace.
While MT Finance encourages staff to undertake formal qualifications, it also prioritises practical learning.
“We put our staff through CeMAP so they understand the broker and customer journey, but the real learning comes from doing and observing,” he says.
BRIGHT FUTURE
As MT Finance moves into its next chapter, Lewis’s philosophy remains consistent: disciplined growth, problem-solving lending and a commitment to people.
By maintaining the company’s DNA across bridging, buy-to-let and commercial finance, he aims to ensure that the lender remains both resilient and relevant.
For Lewis, leadership is not about shortcuts or automated processes; it’s about reflection, human insight and building a team and a business that can adapt to challenges without losing sight of its identity.
