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This month’s London appointments

Matthew Higgs, Countryside Partnerships

Property developers Countryside Partnerships has announced that Matthew Higgs has been appointed as the new Managing Director of its Partnerships South business.

Matthew will work with Chief Executive Richard Cherry spearheading the firm’s expansion into London and the South East where it hopes to deliver affordable, sustainable housing developments.

Matthew said: “The Partnerships business is well placed to build on its existing strong relationships with boroughs and seek out further opportunities to work with new local authorities on estate regeneration and public land.”

Richard Cherry, Chief Executive, Countryside Partnerships, added: “Our Partnerships division is performing exceptionally well and continues to expand its pipeline. Countryside is proud of its ethos in driving sustainable prosperity to communities and we are looking forward to Matthew focusing on helping to promote Countryside as the urban regeneration partner of choice to deliver new homes, transform neighbourhoods and benefit many more thousands of people who want to live and work in London and the South-East.”

Nigel Wilson, Scott Logic

Bespoke software development consultancy Scott Logic has appointed a new General Manager to lead the day-to-day operations across its four city centre locations.

Primarily based out of the business’ London office, Nigel brings over 20 years’ experience to the role, having held numerous technical and leadership positions in the IT industry.

Speaking about his new role, Nigel said: “This is an incredibly exciting time to be joining Scott Logic. I’ve been very impressed by the high calibre of all the people I’ve met so far in the business and the quality of the work consistently delivered.

“A huge amount has been achieved in Scott Logic’s first 10 years and there is clearly huge potential to grow further.”

Scott Logic’s Managing Director Gary Scott added: “The quality of our service is defined by our people, and Scott Logic is committed to attracting candidates of the highest calibre to join us in all areas of the business.

“Nigel’s appointment exemplifies this commitment; he brings a huge amount of valuable experience to the company and is the perfect person to lead our consultancy business into its next exciting chapter of growth.”

Stephan Wilcke, LendInvest

Former Executive Chairman of OneSavings Bank, Stephan Wilcke, has been appointed as a Senior Advisor at online lender LendInvest.

Stephan’s financial services career spans nearly 25 years and combines a mix of leadership roles at commercial, government-backed and regulatory institutions.

Stephan Wilcke, LendInvest Senior Adviser, commented: “Having followed the progress of the team for the past three years in various capacities, I have been incredibly impressed by what LendInvest has achieved.

“They are building a company with a distinctive culture that blends maturity with a desire to do things differently. It’s an exciting time to come on board.”

Christian Faes, Co-Founder and chief executive officer at LendInvest, added: “LendInvest is now a leading name in specialist property finance, but we make no secret of our goal to be a mainstream financial services brand.

“The financial services world is one that’s subject to ever-growing layers of regulation, with new entrants like us under intense scrutiny. An open door to Stephan’s battle-hardened skills and extensive network will be invaluable to us as we continue to grow.”

Catherine Lewis La Torre, British Business Bank

British Business Bank Investments Ltd, the commercial arm of the British Business Bank, has announced the appointment of Catherine Lewis La Torre as its new Chief Executive Officer.

Catherine joins from Cardano, where she is Head of Private Equity and responsible for managing a portfolio of private capital fund investments with over £1bn of client commitments, and will replace outgoing CEO Peter Wilson from 1 September.

Following her appointment, Catherine commented: “I am delighted to be joining an organisation with such an important mission. Small and medium-sized businesses form the backbone of the UK economy, although many companies continue to experience challenges in identifying the right financing options as well as in accessing capital.

“British Business Bank Investments’ role as a facilitator of funding for smaller businesses can make a real difference for thousands of British businesses. I am looking forward to working alongside an experienced and dynamic team that has been charged with this important task.”