Thank you to everyone that took part in our recent online survey. The results are now being analysed and we will let you know the outcome soon.
It already seems clear that the majority of members are in favour of widening our membership criteria and allowing non-banking real estate lenders to join the organisation. The name change and rebranding of the APB is the next logical step and we will continue to progress down that path. The Association of Property Lenders seems to be the most popular choice of name and we are now looking at rebranding to reflect that.
We will also take the opportunity to freshen up the website and try to make it more user-friendly for our members. If you have any comments on that then please contact me or another board member.
It is very pleasing to see so many new members still joining the organisation despite these turbulent times. Today I am attending a new members buffet lunch for around 30 of our newest members to introduce them to the board and hear what their hopes and expectations are.
I hope you have a good summer break.
Andrew
Thursday, 5 July 2012
Monday, 26 March 2012
Update & Change of Name?
Well it has certainly been a busy start to the year! We have organised seven events so far in 2012 and we plan to continue our busy programme into the Summer. My own personal highlight was the Property Peak Challenge on 23 February when we had two teams involved in the charity run up the Heron Tower. It was very pleasing to hear that the APB was the top fundraiser on the night. As you will see from our events page, we have more events lined up for April, May and June and I hope to see you at one or more of those.
The APB Board is currently considering whether to change the name of the Association in recognition that times are changing.
In recent years, we have noticed that more of our new members are not employed by the banking sector but by other providers of debt such as mezzanine funds, bridging finance companies and insurance companies. Due primarily to regulatory change and the impact of Basel III in particular, the debt market is undergoing a huge period of transition with many of the traditional sources of senior debt no longer available. The increase in alternative sources of debt is continuing and specialist private equity backed debt funds are now appearing in the market.
As a result of all this change it is time for the APB to assess what is stands for and what direction it must take to remain an important voice in the industry. Our membership has grown to almost 400 now and we must seek to maintain our position as the property industry's key link with the finance sector. With this in mind we are considering a slight change to our name and branding to make it clear that we represent all debt providers and not just those from the banking sector.
By changing our name to the Association of Property Lenders or the Association of Property Financiers we think that we will appeal to the whole of the debt market and not just a part of it. The key issue is our common interest in financing commercial and residential property and the skills and experience required for that. Some of the new debt providers in the market even consider the word 'banker' to be tainted and to have negative connotations.
I would welcome members views on this topical subject. Please email me at president@the-apb.co.uk
Many thanks
Andrew
The APB Board is currently considering whether to change the name of the Association in recognition that times are changing.
In recent years, we have noticed that more of our new members are not employed by the banking sector but by other providers of debt such as mezzanine funds, bridging finance companies and insurance companies. Due primarily to regulatory change and the impact of Basel III in particular, the debt market is undergoing a huge period of transition with many of the traditional sources of senior debt no longer available. The increase in alternative sources of debt is continuing and specialist private equity backed debt funds are now appearing in the market.
As a result of all this change it is time for the APB to assess what is stands for and what direction it must take to remain an important voice in the industry. Our membership has grown to almost 400 now and we must seek to maintain our position as the property industry's key link with the finance sector. With this in mind we are considering a slight change to our name and branding to make it clear that we represent all debt providers and not just those from the banking sector.
By changing our name to the Association of Property Lenders or the Association of Property Financiers we think that we will appeal to the whole of the debt market and not just a part of it. The key issue is our common interest in financing commercial and residential property and the skills and experience required for that. Some of the new debt providers in the market even consider the word 'banker' to be tainted and to have negative connotations.
I would welcome members views on this topical subject. Please email me at president@the-apb.co.uk
Many thanks
Andrew
Wednesday, 11 January 2012
New Year Message
Firstly, I'd like to wish all of our members a Happy New Year.
Let's all hope that 2012 beings some better news in terms of the outlook for the UK property market and also sees a number of new lenders entering the senior debt market to replace those that have recently retrenched for various reasons.
We ended last year with two very successful events, the Annual Dinner and the Annual Conference in November. We aim to continue the momentum in 2012 and will shortly be announcing our programme of events for this year. This will include a range of seminars and presentations as well as 'old favourites' such as the pumble, pub quiz and the golf day. The first event of 2012 will be our networking drinks on 19th January which I hope many of you will attend.
If you have any suggestions for specific topics or events for this year then please let me or one of the other Board members know.
Best wishes
Andrew
(email: president@the-apb.co.uk)
Let's all hope that 2012 beings some better news in terms of the outlook for the UK property market and also sees a number of new lenders entering the senior debt market to replace those that have recently retrenched for various reasons.
We ended last year with two very successful events, the Annual Dinner and the Annual Conference in November. We aim to continue the momentum in 2012 and will shortly be announcing our programme of events for this year. This will include a range of seminars and presentations as well as 'old favourites' such as the pumble, pub quiz and the golf day. The first event of 2012 will be our networking drinks on 19th January which I hope many of you will attend.
If you have any suggestions for specific topics or events for this year then please let me or one of the other Board members know.
Best wishes
Andrew
(email: president@the-apb.co.uk)
Tuesday, 11 October 2011
Autumn Update
It was good to see so many of you at our AGM yesterday. We will certainly pick up the issues raised during the question and answer session at our next monthly Board meeting in November. In particular, the mentoring suggestion and the subscription level for unemployed members.
Our biggest event of the year is now only 3 weeks away! I am delighted to note that over 900 people will be attending our Annual Dinner on 3rd November. It is the first time we have 'sold out' in recent years and just shows how popular this event is with our members.
Finally, there are a few places left for our Property Banking Forum event on 18th October, which focuses on the development finance market in the UK. If you wish to attend please contact Barbara Hobbs as soon as possible (BHobbs@ipf.org.uk).
Andrew
Our biggest event of the year is now only 3 weeks away! I am delighted to note that over 900 people will be attending our Annual Dinner on 3rd November. It is the first time we have 'sold out' in recent years and just shows how popular this event is with our members.
Finally, there are a few places left for our Property Banking Forum event on 18th October, which focuses on the development finance market in the UK. If you wish to attend please contact Barbara Hobbs as soon as possible (BHobbs@ipf.org.uk).
Andrew
Wednesday, 8 June 2011
Update
I am very pleased to confirm that Adrian Poole of Aviva has just agreed to join the APB Board.
Given the important role that insurance companies are playing in the commercial property finance market at present I think it is highly beneficial for the APB to have input from one of the key members of the Aviva property lending team.
On a separate note, the APB celebrates its 20 year anniversary this year and we are hosting a special party next Wednesday evening which I hope many of you will be able to make. Guests will include members, past Presidents and other people connected with the APB over the last 20 years. I look forward to seeing you there!
Andrew
Given the important role that insurance companies are playing in the commercial property finance market at present I think it is highly beneficial for the APB to have input from one of the key members of the Aviva property lending team.
On a separate note, the APB celebrates its 20 year anniversary this year and we are hosting a special party next Wednesday evening which I hope many of you will be able to make. Guests will include members, past Presidents and other people connected with the APB over the last 20 years. I look forward to seeing you there!
Andrew
Friday, 4 March 2011
Changes to the APB Board
I am pleased to inform you that we have two new Board members with effect from yesterday.
Richard Bentley and Domhnall Gaffney are now part of the team. Richard, as many of you will know, is Head of Helaba's London Office. Domhnall is currently an Associate Director in the Commercial Real Estate Capital Markets division of Lloyds Banking Group. Both have been working in the property sector for many years and will be great additions to the Board.
There have also been two recent departures from the Board. Ingeborg Warschke (who is retiring) and Susie Best. I would like to thank them both for their contributions to the APB and I wish them both well for the future.
I look forward to seeing you at our events in Cannes next week!
Andrew
Richard Bentley and Domhnall Gaffney are now part of the team. Richard, as many of you will know, is Head of Helaba's London Office. Domhnall is currently an Associate Director in the Commercial Real Estate Capital Markets division of Lloyds Banking Group. Both have been working in the property sector for many years and will be great additions to the Board.
There have also been two recent departures from the Board. Ingeborg Warschke (who is retiring) and Susie Best. I would like to thank them both for their contributions to the APB and I wish them both well for the future.
I look forward to seeing you at our events in Cannes next week!
Andrew
Tuesday, 15 February 2011
Events Galore!
This month kicked off with our first seminar of 2011, where the subject in question was property development finance (or lack of it!). For those that missed it, Mark Swetman (Project Director of Hines' Cannon Place scheme) gave a very interesting presentation showing the borrower/investor perspective and suggesting reasons why banks should now be tempted to re-enter this market. This was followed by detailed presentations from Habib Ullah and Matthew Jones (both Nabarro - our kind sponsor). The presentations are available via the APB website - please download the slides if you missed the seminar.
Tomorrow evening we are hosting one of our most popular networking events of the year, the Annual Quiz Night, where we will have over 30 teams of bankers competing for first prize and the honour that goes with it. This year's event is sponsored by Stephenson Harwood. Hope to see you all there.
Don't forget we have two events in Cannes this year and one in London for those that are not attending MIPIM. Make sure those are in your diary.
Finally, the Property Banking Forum's inaugural event will be taking place later in March (details to follow shortly). Places will be limited, so be sure to respond quickly! There will be a detailed presentation by Alex Catalano concerning the results of her recent survey for the APB/IPF followed by a panel discussion and audience questions/debate.
Not a bad start to 2011, I'm sure you will agree...
Andrew