The Intermediary – April 2025 - Flipbook - Page 42
The Interview.
Shawbrook
Adapting strategies
Jessica O’Connor speaks to
Emma Cox, managing director of real
estate at Shawbrook, about the bank’s
evolving strategy to support landlords
and brokers amid market pressures
n the ever-evolving landscape of real
estate finance, few figures have had a
front-row seat to as much change – and
a chance to steer through it – as Emma
Cox, managing director of real estate at
Shawbrook. With over 25 years in the
industry, Cox’s journey is not just one
personal progression, but of commitment
to a business that she helped shape from its
inception. From her early days as a business
development manager (BDM) to becoming a
guiding force behind Shawbrook’s specialist
lending strategies, her career mirrors the
transformation of the market itself.
The Intermediary spoke with Cox about the
lessons learned so far, the challenges and
opportunities facing landlords today, how
the bank has stayed agile, and why broker
collaboration remains central to its model.
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The Intermediary | April 2025
Cox’s role at Shawbrook is rooted in her
alignment with the ever-changing needs of the
property finance market.
“I’ve actually been with Shawbrook since day
one,” she shares.
When asked what led to this longevity, Cox
explains: “It’s such a dynamic place. We’re
always on the move and trying new things
[…] it feels like every couple of years there’s
something new to go for.”
This constant innovation has meant it has
“never really got boring or stale,” making her
time at the company a “great journey.”
Meanwhile, Shawbrook’s proposition reflects
this same dynamic ethos, especially when it
comes to supporting professional landlords
with more complex portfolios. The lender has
been embedded in key areas of the market since
its inception and prides itself on evolving in
tandem with investor strategies.
Cox says: “The thing that has always been
really important to us is to try and align
ourselves to what the investors need. Their
needs and strategies have changed over time,
so we’ve tried to build a proposition that is
tailored to meeting those needs.”
For instance, in the past couple of decades,
houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) have
become more popular among investors,
transitioning from a fringe asset type to a more
attractive, mainstream investment due to the
propensity for higher yields.
“When we first started lending, they were
quite a new asset type and were probably
somewhat in the shadows,” Cox explains.
“As that started to evolve, we then tailored
our proposition to meet the needs of investors,
recognising the yield-based values that you
could achieve through HMOs.”
This responsiveness is central to Shawbrook’s
value proposition. The lender focuses on
enabling investors to optimise returns by
offering flexible valuation approaches and
supporting greater leverage, where appropriate.
“We recognise that leverage is really key,” Cox
notes, adding that the bank takes care to do this
“safely,” no matter the chosen asset class.
Shawbrook’s proposition also factors in
evolving tenant profiles, whether social or
