Real estate finance industry veterans Tim Vaughan and Stuart Blieschke have launched a new debt advisory business called Art Capital.
The boutique adviser, which counts ACRE Capital, RX London and TTB Partners as backers, will “look to take advantage of structural change in debt markets”.
Between them, Vaughan and Blieschke have more than 40 years’ industry experience, acting as both advisers and investors. A third partner is due to join the business at a later stage.
Vaughan was most recently a managing director at Brotherton Real Estate and prior to that he worked in syndication at German lenders pbb Deutsche Pfandbriefbank and Deutsche Postbank, and in lending at UK institutions RBS and Barclays.
Blieschke has more than two decades of experience as a private credit and special situations investor across UK and Asia and previously worked for the likes of KKR and Pacific Alliance Group.
Art Capital’s typical loan size will be between £20m and £300m, with flexibility to move outside this range for the right client. The firm will be based on Carnaby Street in London and will be active across all asset classes and target opportunities in the UK as well as mainland Europe, with ambitions to expand into the Asia-Pacific region.
Vaughan said: “Art Capital provides lenders and borrowers alike with a market-proven leadership team that is committed to excellent client service. Our founder-led approach, backed by decades of experience, will provide a guiding hand in navigating a complex financing environment as we enter the next phase of the interest rate cycle.”
Blieschke added: “Operating initially from London, we have ambitions to build a truly global, best-in-class credit advisory business, leveraging the networks not only of the founding partners but of our investors too to help connect global capital with real estate opportunities across the UK and Europe. Our leadership team’s shared experience across both the adviser and investor side gives us a unique vantage point from which we can advise clients.”
George Wilson, partner at ACRE Capital, said: “Debt has always been an important facet of investment strategy and never more so with the current turbulence in the debt markets. Our clients are continuingly looking for a holistic approach to investment advice and we believe this strategic partnership with Art Capital, offering a complementary partner lead approach providing best in class advice, will enable Art, RX, TTB and ourselves to differentiate from respective competitors whilst continuing to put our clients’ interests at the forefront of our business strategies.”
Simon Ewart-Perks, partner at RX London, added: “Art Capital offers an experienced, independent and partner led approach to credit, complimenting the first class offering by RX London and the other shareholders. With the recent recalibration in interest rates and the proliferation of credit providers, Art Capital will give our clients an invaluable insight into the debt markets, enabling them to execute optimum business strategies in conjunction with our existing service lines.”
Jonathan Bond, from TTB Partners, said: “TTB are excited to be investing in Art Capital along with two fantastic investment partners and a first-class team in Tim and Stuart. We feel that the market is ripe for a new and innovative approach and with RX, ACRE and TTB holding minority shareholding positions in the business, it allows it to operate as an independent advisory firm, with strong financial backing. We look forward to Art Capital capitalising on its potential to become a leader in real estate debt advisory in the UK.”
