meet the team

Our dedicated property finance specialists

Paul Munford

CEO & Founder

Paul Munford

CEO & Founder

A leading real estate financier for over 30 years, Paul has in-depth knowledge of the real estate finance sector across residential and commercial markets.


In 2010 he founded Omni Capital. The aim was to fill a distinct gap in the market for short-term lending to clients who had been left disenfranchised by the shrinking credit markets post-global financial crash. Paul then sold his interests in 2012 and established Century Capital to offer the same bespoke credit solutions to this growing sector.


Century’s equity-based lending model allows a greater level of flexibility – meaning that Century can often lend where others cannot. Under Paul’s leadership, Century has grown significantly over the last decade and now benefits from several funding lines and a HNW equity fund to finance mezzanine loans where required.



Let’s Get Personal:



Staying active is a priority for Paul; he’s not only a keen skier, but also a fan of wild swimming. Away from the slopes and the water however, Paul has a musical side as a rock and roll guitarist. As a business owner himself, Paul devotes time to supporting charities that help keen entrepreneurs from typically underprivileged backgrounds.



The quote Paul lives by: “Let your actions speak louder than words; never let people down by failing to follow through."

Luke Navin

Head of Lending

Luke Navin

Head of Lending

Luke heads up the lending team at Century, maintaining a highly hands-on role in day-to-day business and personally managing relationships with some of our key clients.
His diligent approach ensures that Century delivers the highest level of service.



Luke is a graduate of Oxford University and prior to joining Century, worked with MCIFA Property Finance where he was involved with structuring more complex finance arrangements both in the UK and overseas.



Let’s Get Personal:



Luke is a classically trained pianist having played since he was just three-years old.



Luke’s favourite holiday hotspot is the Amalfi Coast, and plans to visit Japan someday soon.



The quote Luke lives by: “Live every day as it comes”

Ian Axe

Non Executive Chairman

Ian Axe

Non Executive Chairman

With over 25 years of capital markets experience across Investment Banking, Wealth, Asset Management and Market Infrastructure, Ian has held a number of senior executive positions including Group CEO of Panmure Gordon, Group CEO LCH. Clearnet, EMEA COO Barclays Capital and COO ABSA Capital. During his financial career Ian has worked with and sat on Boards, Advisory Panels and Investment committees.



Let’s Get Personal:



Alongside his love of golf, Ian is a big water sports fan and can be found sailing, paddle boarding and waterskiing during the summer months. He is a fan of hikes too, enjoying walks along the South West Coast.
Ian’s intrepid nature also resulted in him being part of a 2015 fundraising team, raising money for the Prince's Trust by skiing to the North Pole across 20 days, navigating broken ice and battling -45 degrees temperatures.



Although this experience was memorable, Ian cites the notably warmer destination of Mauritius as his favourite holiday hotspot.



The quote Ian lives by: “The secret of getting ahead is getting started”

Simon Golesworthy

Chief Financial Officer

Simon Golesworthy

Chief Financial Officer

Simon is responsible for providing leadership and direction to the finance function and supporting delivery of the strategic plan at Century Capital. His primary focus is ensuring the business is appropriately capitalised and resourced to drive sustainable Revenue and Earnings growth. Simon has extensive experience leading large scale business transformations both in the UK and Internationally. Previously, Simon worked for the US REIT 'Iron Mountain' as CFO for their US and European business unit as well as heading up their Global Shared Services division in India.



Let’s Get Personal:



Away from work, Simon can be found on the golf course or supporting his local Amateur football team. He’s a film fan too, enjoying Matthew Vaughn’s Layer Cake and 2015 comedy-drama, The Big Short. When he wants to get away, Simon enjoys travelling to his favourite destination; Australia.



The quote Simon lives by: “When all is Said and Done, more is Said than Done”

James Wheeler

Chief Operations Officer

James Wheeler

Chief Operations Officer

James has been building, integrating, and operating IT systems for over 20 years - 15 of those spent in Financial Services supporting the origination and servicing activities of regulated and unregulated secured lending businesses. Having worked in several European jurisdictions, James was previously Pepper’s Head of Business Systems in both the UK and Europe, Enra Group’s CIO and the CIO of Relational SA, a Greek lending and servicing software vendor.



Let's Get Personal:



Outside of work, James lives an action-packed life. He is a PADI Advanced Open Water diver, enjoys the odd triathlon and has adventured all over the globe - most notably was a trip to the Chernobyl exclusion zone. Interestingly, (and perhaps also terrifyingly), he holds a certificate in chainsaw maintenance and cross cutting.



The quote he lives by: ‘Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken.’

Freddie Munford

Portfolio Manager

Freddie Munford

Portfolio Manager

A born Londoner, Freddie joins Century Capital as Portfolio Manager with a prolific property background, having spent three years gaining valuable experience in Nick Candy’s private office, and stints in estate agencies. His expertise in the prime Central London property sector is unmatched.



Let’s Get Personal:



Making the most of his season pass to watch Chelsea football, Freddie is an avid sports fan - so much so that he travelled to Baku, Azerbaijan for the day to watch Chelsea play. When he is not golfing or playing tennis, Freddie will be training to run, albeit very slowly (his words), a half marathon for the Brain Tumour Charity in April 2024.



The quote Freddie lives by: "Intelligence without ambition is a bird without wings" – Salvador Dali.

Jason Finch

Head of Credit

Jason Finch

Head of Credit

Jason is Head of Credit at Century Capital and has over 25 years of experience in secured lending gained in various senior underwriting and credit positions. Following Head of Underwriting roles at Platform Home Loans and Metro Bank, Jason was a key member of the management team that launched Bluestone Mortgages in the UK. More recently, he was a Senior Credit Manager at Masthaven Bank.
Jason’s role at Century includes responsibility for lending policies and procedures and oversight of the underwriting process.



Let’s Get Personal:



Jason is a keen runner and has competed in several races over the years. He is also an avid fundraiser, having raised over £20k for Spread A Smile, a charity that aims to bring joy and entertainment to seriously ill and hospitalised children.
Jason enjoys travelling too, with the Greek Islands and Canada being two of his favourite getaways.



The quote Jason lives by: “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain.”

Chioma Amakulo

Head of Underwriting

Chioma Amakulo

Head of Underwriting

Chioma has over ten years of experience in property finance, including roles at Alternating Bridging Corporation and Mint Property Finance, where she was instrumental in completing case volumes of bridging, commercial and development finance transactions. Chioma’s expertise and experience in dealing with a diverse range of property finance transactions and managing key relationships with all stakeholders was further honed through roles at several international banks, and a number of banks in Africa.



Let’s Get Personal:



When she’s not dealing with financial transactions, Chioma enjoys bird watching, boxing and reading; her favourite books include The Goddess reawakens by Shirley Nicholson and The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle.
Chioma also champions female empowerment and actively supports poverty alleviation.



The quote Chioma lives by: “No time like now!”

Nikhil Shah

Senior Underwriter

Nikhil Shah

Senior Underwriter

Nikhil brings a wealth of expertise from the short-term lending realm, with an impressive career journey encompassing roles at Funding 365 and UTB. He excels in managing loan lifecycles, meticulously evaluating financials, credit histories, and collateral for sensible credit decisions. Recognized as ‘Underwriter of the Year’ at the 2022 B&C Awards, Nikhil drives underwriting excellence, ensuring tailored solutions and mitigating risks for Century Capital's clients. Nikhil pursued Finance at Aston University, augmenting his knowledge with an internship in Amsterdam during his placement year.


Let’s Get Personal

Sport is a passion for Nikhil; he plays football and cricket every week whilst squeezing in basketball when he finds the time. He’s also a juggler, claiming this to be his secret skill. When Nikhil isn’t perfecting his talent, he’s catching up on The Wire - one of his favourite TV shows - or playing video games. Travel is also important to Nikhil. In fact, his favourite travel destination is Kenya, where much of his family resides.

The quote Nikhil lives by: “The best ability is availability”

Linda Rexha

Underwriter

Linda Rexha

Underwriter

After studying Law and Criminology, Linda began her career working as a Paralegal in the litigation department of a Legal 500 Law Firm, but soon followed her interests and made a career move to the property finance sector. Now with five years of experience in Finance and Property Management, Linda brings extensive knowledge and experience of the bridging process to her role at Century. Prior to joining Century, Linda worked for a bridging company where she managed a large property portfolio and was essential to the smooth running of the business.



Let’s Get Personal:



Linda’s excellent DIY skills help drive her passion for arts and crafts. When time allows, Linda enjoys acrylic painting, multimedia art, resin work and card making. Away from being arty, Linda is partial to a Zumba or yoga class. Linda also supports Great Ormond Street Hospital.



The quote Linda lives by: “Treat others how you would like to be treated”

Samia Fouda

Treasury Manager

Samia Fouda

Treasury Manager

With five years’ experience in financial accounting, Samia has gained in-depth knowledge. Prior to joining Century, Samia worked for BMLL Technologies and WPP IT, where she acted as a Management Accountant, providing support in the re-establishment of correct reconciliation processes at 40+ entities across EMEA and LATAM. She is now responsible for all financial accounting, reporting and compliance here at Century.



Let’s Get Personal:



Samia enjoys engaging in physical activities such as boxing and gym workouts, which not only keep her body energised, but also sharpen her mind.



The quote Samia lives by: “Accounting is an imperfect language, but it is the language of business”

Ethan Flack

Senior Financial Accountant

Ethan Flack

Senior Financial Accountant

Ethan is the Senior Financial Accountant with over 4 years accounting experience.
After graduating in Accounting and Finance he started his career in an East Anglian firm gaining a vast amount of financial accounting, organisation and reporting knowledge. He also continued his studies and became a charted accountant by obtaining the ACCA qualification, all of which he has now brought into the property finance sector.



Let’s Get Personal:



Not only does Ethan enjoy playing futsal and football, he also has a passion for collecting football shirts. Ethan also loves travelling and his most memorable adventure was a backpacking trip around Thailand. His favourite place to visit however is the resort of Kandersteg in Switzerland.



The quote Ethan lives by: “Eat the frog”

John Wheeler

Head of Sales

John Wheeler

Head of Sales

With over 30 years of experience in the property finance industry, John has spent the last 20 in the short-term and development sectors as both a broker and a lender. Having first worked with Paul at Omni Capital as Head of Sales, developing new relationships and deals across London, John then joined Paul as a founding member of the Century Capital team in 2012. His in-depth knowledge of the sector, long-standing industry relationships and strong expertise gives the Century sales team unrivalled proficiency.



Let’s Get Personal:



Self-proclaimed comedian John is a devoted Only Fools & Horses fan as well as a loyal Arsenal fan. He’s also pretty green-fingered, with a love of gardening on the weekends.



The quote John lives by: “Never take yourself too seriously”

Rebecca Chapman

Business Development Manager

Rebecca Chapman

Business Development Manager

Rebecca is a Business Development Manager for Century Capital. Her role as BDM for Century involves bringing new broker relationships to the team while supporting to deliver the significant growth targets for 2023 and beyond.



Rebecca was previously a BDM at Ortus Secured Finance with roles prior to this including BDM for Vida Homeloans and lending manager at The Hampshire Trust Bank and Ortus.



Let’s Get Personal:



Rebecca’s adventurous side has previously led her to climbing Mt Kilimanjaro for her honeymoon and still now she cites the TV series Everest: Beyond the Limit as an inspiration.
A keen swimmer, Rebecca’s favourite overseas destination is the Greek island of Santorini.



The quote Rebecca lives by: “Better to ask for forgiveness than permission”

Oliver Foskett

Head of Operations and Loan Management

Oliver Foskett

Head of Operations and Loan Management

Oliver plays a key role at Century, ensuring all necessary systems and controls are in place. He also takes initiative in identifying new areas for business growth. Over the last ten years, Oliver’s gained a wealth of experience working within Operations in the Financial Services industry, having started his career as an Operations Manager in stockbroking, before moving on to work for Willis Towers Watson.



Let’s Get Personal:



Oliver maintains an active life, with squash, golf, running, swimming and rugby taking up much of his free time, along with workouts at the gym. He’s also partial to any film with actor and comedian Adam Sandler.



The quote Oliver lives by: “Live your life to the fullest each day”

Monique Chery

Head of Marketing

Monique Chery

Head of Marketing

Monique oversees marketing strategy, brand and communications at Century Capital.



An experienced marketing leader with 17 years of marketing experience in the real estate, financial services, and luxury lifestyle sectors Monique has held roles in the UK and Internationally at companies such as GE, Countrywide and Axelos, as well as Estee Lauder, Corcoran Sunshine and Engel & Volkers.



Let’s Get Personal:



Monique’s passion for playing and watching tennis has led her to travel to various destinations to watch international tournaments.
In fact, Monique loves to see the world; she once undertook a memorable 6-month uni work placement working as a Forensics Scientist in one of her favourite destinations, Barbados. She also lists Ibiza and Madrid as two of her preferred getaways. Away from travel and tennis, Monique supports Furnishing Futures, a charity that tastefully furnishes the homes of women and children escaping domestic abuse. She’s also a book lover; The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg and The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho are just two of her favourite reads.



The quote Monique lives by: “Losing is not my enemy. Fear of losing is my enemy.”

Calypso Cox

Marketing Intern

Calypso Cox

Marketing Intern

Armed with an English Literature and Art History degree from Exeter, Calypso joins the marketing team with a creative and analytical approach. Her work experience includes a variety of different industries, having previously worked for travel agencies, art galleries and in property asset management.



Let's Get Personal:



Having grown up in Hong Kong, New York, London and Japan, Calypso is a keen traveller. Her highlights of which include solo travelling around Australia and New Zealand, and a scuba diving holiday in Indonesia. Heading up her current bucket list is visiting Iceland or Norway to see the northern lights. In her spare time, she attends boxing classes, is an avid reader and a slightly above average cook.



The quote she lives by: ‘There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.’

Natasha Garnham

Executive Assistant to Paul Munford

Natasha Garnham

Executive Assistant to Paul Munford

Shortly after graduating from The University of Leeds, Natasha moved to the United Arab Emirates where she lived for eight years, working as an Executive Assistant for an international financial company. She has a diverse range of skills that have been enhanced by her international experience. Natasha thrives on efficiency and organisation.



Let’s Get Personal:



Tennis is Natasha’s go-to sport, however she also has a keen interest in Pilates and barre. When she’s not staying active, Natasha enjoys travelling; the Maldives and Bora Bora on her holiday hit-list.



The quote Natasha lives by: “Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud”