OUR STORY

Ben Barbanel is Head of Debt Finance at OakNorth, where he leads the team responsible for originating, structuring, and executing bespoke lending solutions for entrepreneurial businesses and property developers. With deep expertise in real estate and corporate lending, Ben has been instrumental in scaling OakNorth’s lending book and fostering key client relationships. Under his leadership, the Debt Finance team has supported over $17 billion in loans. OakNorth has also expanded its reach into the U.S. market, providing direct and note-on-note lending for adaptive reuse and multifamily housing projects across multiple states, furthering its impact on both sides of the Atlantic.

Max is a Director of Debt Finance at OakNorth, specializing in commercial real estate (CRE). He joined OakNorth in London in 2018 after previously working at Lloyds Bank. Max has since played a pivotal role in the growth and expansion of OakNorth’s CRE lending capabilities. Now based in New York, he leads transactions across diverse real estate sectors, bringing deep expertise in structuring tailored finance solutions for mid-market developers and investors.

Dylan is a Director of Debt Finance at OakNorth, with a primary focus on commercial real estate. Dylan has been instrumental in supporting OakNorth’s expansion into the US market, having initially joined the team in London back in 2017. Now based in New York, he specializes in structuring and managing tailored finance solutions for mid-market real estate developers.

Tommy is a Director of Debt Finance at OakNorth, focusing on commercial real estate. With extensive experience in structured finance and real estate lending, Tommy specializes in providing flexible and strategic financing solutions. His background includes senior roles at Patriot Bank and First Horizon (formerly known as IBERIABANK), where he managed significant commercial real estate portfolios, demonstrating deep expertise in deal execution and portfolio management.

Connor serves as Director of Debt Finance at OakNorth, specializing in commercial and industrial (C&I) lending solutions. With significant experience originating and executing debt capital structures, Connor previously held senior positions at Modern Bank, where he led numerous successful debt transactions for mid-market businesses. His expertise includes providing customized cash flow lending solutions aligned with strategic client goals to support leveraged buyouts (LBOs), acquisition finance initiatives and working capital.

Mohith is a Senior Director of Debt Finance at OakNorth, which he joined in 2016 after c.15 years at RBS. An expert in Structured and Corporate Finance, he has deep experience across customer relationships, portfolio management, risk, and strategy. Mo leads on originating, structuring, and executing complex transactions that support growing businesses and ambitious funds with tailored funding solutions. Since 2018, he has spearheaded OakNorth’s work in fund finance, demonstrating a strong track record in delivering success across varied and challenging business situations against a backdrop of a constantly changing macro environment.

Lowell is a Director of Credit at OakNorth, bringing over 20 years of extensive industry experience in real estate credit underwriting and risk management. His previous senior leadership roles include positions at J.P. Morgan Chase, Centennial Bank, and JLJ Capital, overseeing complex underwriting processes and strategic credit decisions. Lowell’s deep sector knowledge significantly strengthens OakNorth’s credit risk capabilities.

Roberta is a Director of Credit at OakNorth, specializing in real estate finance and credit risk. With a robust background spanning credit risk roles at OakNorth in the UK, a UK alternative lender, and Ireland’s National Asset Management Agency, Roberta brings proven expertise in asset recovery, financial analysis, and risk assessment, ensuring robust credit decision-making and portfolio management.

James joined OakNorth in 2020 and brings decades of experience across major financial institutions including PwC, RBS, Barclays and Santander. A Chartered Accountant by training, he specialises in structuring bespoke corporate debt solutions for growing businesses. With deep expertise in credit analysis and underwriting, James plays a key role in supporting complex C&I transactions across a range of sectors. 

Tom leads credit execution for C&I transactions across the UK and US. His career spans roles in business lending across sectors and business sizes, from early-stage SMEs to mid-market firms. Tom is a Chartered Financial Analyst, bringing a strong foundation in investment analysis and credit risk to his role. He plays a key part in upholding robust credit standards while supporting OakNorth’s mission to lend with speed, certainty and insight.

Based in our India office, Parantap joined OakNorth in 2019 and supports the end-to-end execution of real estate and trading sector deals. He brings strong analytical capability and a sharp eye for risk, having built a solid foundation in corporate lending and portfolio management. His work ensures we deliver efficient and well-structured funding solutions for ambitious businesses.