Lloyds Bank recruits Helaba’s Klaus Betz-Vais

Lloyds Bank has appointed Klaus Betz-Vais to its commercial real estate division as a director in its institutional clients team.

Betz-Vais joins from Helaba where he is a director in the property finance company’s origination team.

He has also held previous roles at Saint Paul’s Asset Management, Wachovia, Eurohypo and Hypo Real Estate.

In the newly created position, Betz-Vais will support Lloyds Bank’s work with institutions such as financial sponsors, sovereign wealth funds and other money managers active in real estate.

Madeleine McDougall, head of institutional clients, said: “Klaus brings a strong set of skills both from funding, where he has led a number of large and complex transactions, and real estate knowledge from his client side experience.”

The institutional team has already completed a number of major transactions this year, including a funding package worth over £200m to support Ping An’s acquisition of Tower Place.

Lloyds Bank also appointed Brian Darling to lead the commercial real estate division’s network of regionally-based relationship teams.