Santander names new regional property head

Santander Corporate & Commercial has appointed Andrew Whelan as managing director of regional real estate finance.

Santander said it increased lending to businesses by 13% in the year to the end of December 2013, with £4.1bn of new facilities extended to SMEs.

Santander Commercial Real Estate last year continued to expand its book with new facilities written for new and existing customers in excess of £1.8bn, a 15% increase on 2012 and a net increase in the lending book of some £760m.

The bank opened 16 regional corporate business centres over the year, bringing the total number of corporate business centres throughout the UK to 50, and has grown its relationship banking teams to support this.

Whelan, based in Warwick, has been with the bank since August 2010 and, before this promotion, was divisional head of corporate and commercial for the Midlands and Wales.

He will be supported in this national role by Santander's team of more than 320 regionally based relationship directors throughout the UK.