Altura Mortgage Finance will have a strong focus on overseas customers looking to purchase UK property, while it will also cater for mainstream residential and buy-to-let clients.
An international-focused mortgage brokerage has launched in London from Rob Gill, known in the mortgage market from his time at city broker Coreco.
Altura Mortgage Finance will have a strong focus on overseas customers looking to purchase UK property, while it will also cater for mainstream residential and buy-to-let clients.
Gill, managing director of Altura Mortgage Finance, said: “This gives me an opportunity to combine my experience in the mortgage market with my interest in international business.
“I’ve always loved travel and have links on the continent, with friends and business contacts in Belgium and Holland.
“I believe there are increasing opportunities in Asia and Europe, given the current state of politics.
“The Asian market sees UK property as an opportunity; for them Brexit represents an opportunity.”
Despite this strong focus on international clients Gill added that there is a need to look after ‘bread and butter’ residential and buy-to-let customers to diversify and secure a consistent deal flow.
Altura Mortgage Finance was co-founded with Hong Kong-based James Hughes, who himself established independent adviser Buchanan Capital in 2016, working across the UK, Hong Kong and Japan.
Gill departed from Coreco in April 2018 after nine years, after which he started working in foreign exchange for Mercury FX. It was there that he came across a number of expat and overseas clients requiring a mortgage.
His investment banking career saw Gill work for Japanese company Nomura as an equity trader before the credit crunch, covering Asian markets including Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea.
Altura already has partnerships in place with insurers and solicitor firms, while it is currently an appointed representative of London Money.
Gill is targeting more partnerships with brokers both in the UK and overseas. There is the prospect of other brokers handing overseas clients to Altura and for Altura to send business the other way to effectively deal with volume.
While Altura currently comprises of Gill and Hughes, the aspiration is to have half a dozen members of staff in the business, although the focus is on quality rather than quantity.
Gill added: “We’re not looking to emulate anyone else.
“This is something I’ve come up with based on own history and experience.”
