Roma Finance has made a series of senior hires and internal promotions after what it described as a strong start to 2026, with the lender bolstering underwriting, portfolio management and leadership as it looks to support further growth.
The specialist lender said it has added eight new team members since the start of the year and promoted four existing colleagues.
A central part of the expansion is the creation of a dedicated team for its RomaPRO proposition, which is aimed at professional landlords and portfolio investors with more complex borrowing requirements.
As part of that change, Samantha Williamson has been promoted to commercial underwriting manager, while Eleanor Kenworthy and Isabel Robbins have taken on enhanced underwriting roles. Stephen Barrick has also joined the business as a senior underwriter.
Roma said the team would focus on handling more complex cases and deepen the lender’s support for borrowers operating at scale in the professional investment market.
Elsewhere, Charlotte Rutter has been promoted to head of partnerships and marketing. The lender said the move reflects her role in developing intermediary relationships and raising Roma’s profile in the market.
The business has also made two senior external appointments to its leadership team. Matthew Measures has joined as head of structuring, bringing experience in complex deal structuring and tailored funding solutions, while Gaynor Doran has been appointed head of people, with responsibility for culture, talent development and internal progression.
Roma has also expanded other areas of the business. Hannah Tillyard-Smith has joined the underwriting team, Bradley Barlow, Tovia Balo and Ronald Ivan Flores have moved into portfolio management roles, and Amy Litherland has joined as a business development executive.
ROMAPRO FOCUS
The establishment of a dedicated RomaPRO team (main picture) suggests the lender is placing greater emphasis on serving professional landlords and portfolio investors, an area of the market where brokers often require more specialist underwriting support and greater flexibility around complex cases.
For specialist lenders, growth in this segment can also help reinforce relationships with intermediary firms looking for lenders able to assess deals outside standard criteria, particularly where borrowers have multiple properties or more involved funding requirements.
Scott Marshall, managing director at Roma Finance, says: “It’s been another strong start to the year for Roma, and these appointments reflect both the momentum we’re seeing in the market and our commitment to investing in our people.
“The creation of a dedicated RomaPRO team is an important step for us, ensuring we can continue to support professional landlords and more complex cases with the expertise and focus they require.
“We’re particularly pleased to see Samantha, Eleanor, Isabel and Charlotte progressing within the business and taking on key roles, alongside Stephen Barrick, in that journey.
“At the same time, bringing in experienced professionals like Matthew and Gaynor strengthens our leadership capability and supports our long-term growth plans.
“By combining internal progression with strategic hires, we’re building a team that can continue to deliver the service, flexibility and expertise our brokers and borrowers rely on.”
Main picture (L-R): Samantha Williamson, Isabel Robbins, Stephen Barrick and Eleanor Kenworthy
