Excellion Capital appoints ex-AXA and UBS MD Anthony Shayle

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Excellion Capital, the boutique investment and advisory firm focussed on real estate and asset-backed investments, has appointed ex-AXA and UBS MD Anthony Shayle as Director – Real Estate.

Shayle previously served for more than 10 years as MD & Head of Real Estate Debt for EMEA (ex Switzerland) at UBS Asset Management, where his team deployed and managed £1.5 billion in assets across UK Real Estate and UK Real Estate Debt. Prior to that, Shayle worked at AXA Real Estate Investment Managers as Head of Asset Management for the UK, Nordics and Benelux, responsible for c. €15 billion AuM and launched four new funds with c. €1.2bn equity.

Founded in London in 2007, Excellion Capital assists borrowers with their real estate finance requirements and makes its own investments. The boutique firm has now appointed Shayle to grow its debt advisory business, with a specific focus on assisting borrowers to refinance or restructure existing debts. His appointment comes as Excellion continues to see a marked increase in refinancing activity and enquiries, driven by higher interest rates in an environment in which many lenders are withdrawing lending products and tightening lending criteria.

As Director, Shayle reports to Ashley Marks, Head of Real Estate. Anthony Shayle’s appointment follows another successful year for Excellion Capital, in which the firm completed several flagship transactions across UK real estate. These include, amongst others:

  • debt financing to support the successful opening and launch of the new 141-room Hotel AMANO Covent Garden, which Excellion delivered together with its joint venture partner, AMANO Group;
  • arranging a £60 million debt financing for a nationwide social housing portfolio of c. 50 properties for an institutional investment firm;
  • arranging a £110 million debt facility for Red Oak Taverns, the operator of 200 pubs across the UK.

In 2023, Excellion already closed multiple property debt refinancings and several new transactions are credit approved. Earlier this year, Excellion also appointed David Horwich as VP Real Estate. The firm will continue to grow its debt advisory business and expand its proprietary investment portfolio.

Robert Stafler, Co-Founder & CEO, Excellion Capital said: “Anthony’s appointment is nothing short of a coup: he joins with a pristine institutional background and deep experience of the highest pedigree. More and more of our clients need help to refinance existing debts and seek our assistance. Anthony’s multi-decade experience as a lender in UK Real Estate will be invaluable in this regard, so I am very excited to welcome him to the top-notch team led by Ashley.”

Anthony Shayle, Director, Excellion Capital said: “I’m delighted to be joining Excellion, a unique boutique of highly skilled individuals with an outstanding track record and a strong moral compass; a firm that punches well above its weight. The market continues to pose difficult questions for borrowers, hence the need for skill and creativity in refinancing is pressing. I look forward to being part of this remarkable team, to help our clients navigate the current climate, achieve sustainable debts and create value.”

Ashley Marks, MD & Head of Real Estate, Excellion Capital said: “I first worked with Anthony in 2005 and I’m excited he joins our team today. Anthony comes to us at a critical time: existing clients already enjoy a 1st class service of value-adding property debt advisory, but the demand for our services keeps growing. Anthony’s decades of experience will help us meet this demand and grow.”