Former NAB and 'big four' executive joins fintech CrowdProperty Australia to spearhead investment growth

SYDNEY, Feb. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Diana Shoolman, former head of professional services at NAB, and former director at PwC and Deloitte, has joined fintech CrowdProperty Australia as its director of strategic partnerships, to spearhead the company's growth of wholesale, sophisticated, and institutional investors.

This appointment is a clear statement of intent of CrowdProperty's determination to change the face of property project finance in line with its vision both here and in the UK. It marks the second senior appointment since the company closed its oversubscribed seed round in October 2021.

Ms. Shoolman said she was thrilled to join a leading fintech in the marketplace lending and alternative finance sector.

"My years working with two of the 'big four' accounting firms and one of Australia's largest banks gives me deep insight into Australia's wholesale investors and the private wealth sector," she said.

"I've spent my career building relationships with leaders in the accounting and investment space and the high-net-worth community. Now to be able to provide access to an alternative investment vehicle that helps fund Australian housing is an exciting new chapter."

CrowdProperty Australia CEO David Ingram said the appointment of someone of Diana Shoolman's calibre demonstrated the potential of this leading alternative finance and investment fintech.

"Our vision is to enable SME developers to have access to specialist finance and enable them to build sorely needed homes for Australians," Mr. Ingram said.

"Finding finance is a huge pain point for SME developers who face significant challenges with banks, private lending, and ever-changing goal posts. Being able to provide reliable access to a source of funds from the wholesale and institutional investment sector, while providing specialist experience in property development to ensure projects are carefully curated and ultimately successful, is a proven opportunity Australia hasn't taken advantage of until now.

"We're looking forward to Diana's contribution in building our wholesale investor community. What's more, the future is looking very bright with the development of products to support sustainable developments, social housing, and to bring a retail investment product to market allowing all Australian investors to invest in a slice of the property development market."

CrowdProperty Australia launched in May 2021 to bring its vision of 'property finance by property people' to Australia's badly under-served sector. It is a joint venture with CrowdProperty UK which recently achieved the milestone of paying back over £100m to investors at an average realised IRR of 8.30 percent, while maintaining its 100 percent capital and interest payback track record since launching in 2014.

CrowdProperty UK has now funded the development of £360m of property projects, the construction of 1,800 homes, agreed £215m of facilities and lent £170m, all expertly curated from over £8bn of funding applications.

CrowdProperty project loan investments offer target interest returns of up to 7%* p.a. secured by first mortgage. Investments are available to wholesale investors (including SMSFs, trusts and investment companies) and sophisticated investors, including institutions and super funds. Projects are expertly curated through a 57-step due diligence process. Investments start from as little as $10,000. Development projects are typically 6 to 18 months.

Ms. Shoolman is a Chartered Accountant and former Telstra Businesswoman of the Year nominee.

*Target returns, not forecast returns. For wholesale investors only. Terms, conditions, and risks apply.

DISCLAIMER

The CrowdProperty Investment Trust (the Trust) is an unregistered managed investment scheme. The Trust is only available to investors that are wholesale clients as defined in s761G of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth).

Investors pledge their funds in the Trust which makes first mortgage secured loans to SME property developers.

Withdrawals can only be made when the Investor funds are in Cash Interests in the Trust. Refer to the Information Memorandum (IM) for more information.

CrowdProperty Pty Ltd (ACN 633 516 195) is the investment manager of the Trust (Investment Manager). The Investment Manager is a corporate authorised representative (No. 001285637) of Quay Wholesale Fund Services Pty Ltd AFSL No. 528 526, ACN 647 044 602. The Investment Manager's authority under its Corporate Authorised Representative Agreement with Quay Wholesale Fund Services Pty Ltd is limited to general product advice regarding the Trust only. Quay Wholesale Fund Services Pty Ltd is the trustee of the Trust and the issuer of its IM (Trustee).

The contents of this document are not intended as financial product advice and have been prepared without taking into account your personal circumstances, investment objectives or particular needs. You should read the Information Memorandum for the Trust in full to consider whether an investment is appropriate for you.

Neither the Investment Manager, Quay Wholesale Fund Services Pty Ltd, nor the Trustee guarantee the repayment of capital, the performance of any investment or the rate of return for the Trust. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future performance. An investment in the Trust is not a bank deposit and is subject to greater risk than cash investment products including loans of income and part or all of the capital itself.

We strongly suggest that you seek your own professional financial or legal advice prior to any investment decisions.