Cohort Capital adds to C-suite team
Bridging lender Cohort Capital has extended its senior team with a series of C-suite hires.
Real estate veteran Dipen Patel has been named chief commercial officer, while TAB’s former chief investment officer Eli Korman has been appointed chief risk officer, and Victoria Edwards has been named a consultant.
Patel was previously head of commercial real estate and commercial mortgage lending at Apollo affiliate Catalina Re. He has more than 17 years experience in real estate, banking, restructuring and investment experience, and has overseen £1.7bn of senior and mezzanine corporate real estate opportunities in the UK and Ireland.
Read more: LendInvest narrows pre-tax losses in first half
Meanwhile, Korman spent four years as chief investment officer at property lender TAB, where he helped expand the company’s loan book from £25m to £250m.
Edwards has spent more than 18 years at Forsters LLP, a law firm known for its private client and real estate focus.
Their appointments come after a period of sustained growth at Cohort Capital. The firm increased its originations by 60 per cent in 2023 to reach £400m of new bridge lending.
To date, Cohort Capital has originated approximately £875m in loans, with an average closing time of 14 days and an average loan-to-value (LTV) ratio of 65 per cent.
“Dipen, Eli, and Victoria embody the experience and leadership we value, each bringing an impressive track record and deep expertise,” said Matt Thame, co-founder and chief executive at Cohort Capital.
Read more: S3 Capital raises $335m for residential development fund
“Following another strong year, this is an optimum time to invest in our team and enhance our capabilities. We are thrilled to welcome all three to the team and are excited to see their impact as we prepare for another highly successful year.”
Patel added that in his new role at Cohort he will “focus on leveraging our strengths to propel sustainable growth.”
“The firm has already achieved huge success, and I look forward to seeing how much further we can go,” he said.
Read more: Navigating the lending landscape and how Kuflink stands out in a crowded market
