LHV Bank has appointed Conor McDermott (pictured) as director of SME lending, and to sit on the bank’s executive committee.
With over two decades’ experience in the commercial lending market, McDermott was most recently head of lending at Monument.
At LHV Bank, McDermott will leverage his industry experience to further the bank’s lending initiatives.
In order to further fortify its lending capabilities, LHV Bank also expanded its lending team with the addition of two relationship managers: Savvas Nicola and Edwin Yamoah.
Nicola brings over 20 years’ experience in relationship management, origination, and credit from Lloyds Bank and Metro Bank.
Yamoah brings experience in commercial and corporate banking, having worked in Santander over 12 years.
Erki Kilu, CEO of LHV Bank, said: “Since gaining our banking licence in May 2023 and the inception of our SME lending activities, we have successfully increased our loan book to £70m by the end of last year alone.
“Building on the momentum of our initial success, we have set ambitious targets for 2024. We aim to issue £200m in new loans this year.
“Through new strategic leadership, talented lending teams in both London and Manchester and an extended product offering, we are well-positioned to support businesses driven by an entrepreneurial mindset.”
