Specialist real estate lender and investor Mera Investment Management has made three senior appointments.
Frank Pennal, former chief executive officer of the property division of Close Brothers Group and currently a non-executive director and strategic advisor at Mera, will step into the role of non-executive chairman, taking over from Jan Fletcher OBE who has served as Mera’s chairman since 2022.
Mera has also appointed two experienced real estate finance specialists from commercial acceptances, a long-established lender within the Close Brothers Group. Leo del Rosso (pictured) has joined the firm as an associate director and Alasdair Houghton has joined as chief risk officer.
Edward Matthews, chief executive officer of Mera Investment Management, said: “Frank has been instrumental in shaping Mera’s growth strategy over the past 18 months. I am delighted he is taking on the role of chairman. His experience, market insight and long-standing sector relationships make him the ideal person to support the next phase of our growth and development.”
He added: “Leo and Alasdair bring exceptional sector knowledge and leadership experience. Their appointments significantly strengthen our origination, underwriting and risk management capabilities as we work towards doubling our loan book and supporting an expanding range of high-quality property projects across the UK.”
Pennal said: “Mera has built a strong reputation for quality and rigorous underwriting, underpinned by deep market expertise. I would like to thank Jan for her exceptional leadership as chairman over the past three years. Her steady guidance and support in building the team have been instrumental in steering the business to its current profitable position.
“I’m excited to step into the chairman role and look forward to working closely with Edward and the team, as we continue to build momentum into 2026 and beyond, delivering value for both borrowers and capital partners and advancing the company’s next phase of growth.”
