Puma Property Finance appoints Louise Gillon as head of Hotels

UK real estate financing provider Puma Property Finance has appointed Louise Gillon as director, head of Hotels.

Louise Gillon

Gillon is a respected expert in the hospitality sector, having led Leumi UK's Hotel Finance team for 16 years. She is recognized for her ability to guide clients through various property cycles, including the challenges of the pandemic, and for her balanced, flexible approach to lending. Before her time at Leumi UK, Gillon worked as a commercial credit analyst at AIB.
The partnership with Madison International Realty, announced in May, provides a significant cornerstone investment for Puma's new credit fund series, aiming for a total fundraise of over £350 mln (€404 mln), with an initial seed loan portfolio of over £150 mln (€173 mln). This expanded capital is allowing Puma to attract top industry talent, increase its maximum development loan size from £50-100 mln (€58-115 mln), and enhance its provision of standalone stabilization loans for operational real estate assets.
Paul Frost, managing director of Puma Property Finance, commented: “We are absolutely delighted to welcome Louise to the team.  Her experience and deep knowledge of the hospitality sector will be invaluable as we look to increase our exposure to this attractive asset class.  “The launch of our new debt fund series, on the back of our strategic partnership with Madison, gives us access to further attractively-priced, flexible capital to support our growing client base. We are excited to be investing in our senior squad as we enter this next phase of growth for the business.”
Louise Gillon, director, head of Hotels, added: “We are optimistic about the UK hotel sector, which continues to evolve through ongoing investments in refurbishment and repositioning of assets to maximise their trading potential.  Additionally, the sector is increasingly embracing innovative technological solutions to enhance profitability and improve the customer experience, all while focusing on creating environmentally sustainable and resilient properties. As Puma accelerates its growth strategy and expands its market presence following the recent partnership with Madison, it is wonderful to be joining such a motivated and ambitious team. I’m looking forward to leading our expansion in the hotels sector.”