Castleforge appoints new Chief Financial Officer

Castleforge has announced the appointment of Neil Smith as Chief Financial Officer

An ACA chartered accountant, Neil joins Castleforge having held senior finance and operational positions at both The Carlyle Group and Bridgepoint.  Neil joins from Invest and Fund Limited, where he was responsible for business operations and fundraising from institutional lenders.

At Bridgepoint, Neil was Head of Fund Finance and Operations and led the fund operations team through a period of material AUM growth and the firm’s initial public offering.  Prior to this, Neil was an Associate Vice President within the European funds team at The Carlyle Group.

In his new role as Chief Financial Officer at Castleforge, Neil will be responsible for the operational and financial management of the firm, including developing successful commercial, operational, and financial initiatives to ensure the delivery of Castleforge’s strategic objectives.

Neil will oversee all financial aspects of the business and work with senior stakeholders to accelerate growth of the business across the UK and Europe, which will include further developing Castleforge’s in-house capabilities and operating platforms.

Since its inception in 2010, Castleforge has invested approximately £1bn, gaining a strong reputation for value-add investment in office, residential and hotel real estate across the UK and Europe. The company recently announced the acquisition of Winchester House, the former HQ of Deutsche Bank, in one of the City’s most significant deals since the pandemic.

Michael Kovacs, Founding Partner of Castleforge said: “Neil brings a wealth of experience not just guiding a finance function but serving as a strategic business partner. He joins Castleforge at an ideal time following our growth and expansion across the UK and Europe. We look forward to welcoming Neil to the team.”

Neil Smith, incoming CFO at Castleforge said: “It is fantastic to be joining Castleforge, as the firm grows from strength to strength. I’m excited about the business’s focus on research-led investment and operational real estate, and I’m looking forward to working with the team to deliver on the firm’s strategic goals.”