Schroders RF is a leading alternative lending platform to the real estate market specialising in financing for commercial, retail, industrial and residential developments and investments across the east coast of Australia.

Schroders RF is a joint venture between Schroder Investment Management Australia Limited (Schroders) and the RF Group of companies (RF Group).

RF Group is an alternative asset manager with global capabilities in real estate and credit management throughout Australia, UK/Europe and the Middle East. RF Group represents the family interests of the Roberts Family, who established Multiplex and then sold that business to Brookfield in 2007. RF purchased Eclipse Prudent Mortgage Corporation Limited (EPMCL) in September 2016, at that stage the business had been established since 1999. The business was then renamed RF Eclipse Limited and has since expanded its origination, credit and loan management capacity to provide loans in Queensland and Victoria in addition to its traditional NSW base. Annual origination of loans for investment across various portfolios managed by the business are now in excess of $250m.

RF Eclipse Limited and Schroders joined forces in a joint venture on 1 July 2021.

Schroders is a wholly owned subsidiary of Schroders plc. Globally, the Schroders Group manages over $1,056b (as at 30 June 2021). Between September 2016 and June 2021 RF Group fully owned this business and in June 2021 sold a 50.1% interest to Schroders Group.

Schroders RF Limited manages the Schroders RF Select Credit Fund and the Schroders Real Estate Debt Fund. The RF Schroders Select Credit Fund has retail and a number of smaller institutions and family offices as its investors, while the Schroders Real Estate Debt Fund has a number of internal investment mandates from the parent entity amounting to approximately $225m.

Our Team

Schroders RF Management Team

Andrew Papas

Manager New Business and Origination, Victoria

Possessing 30 years of comprehensive experience in the Commercial Lending Sector, Andrew holds a Bachelor of Economics (Accounting Major). Andrew commenced his career with Commonwealth Bank of Australia, being exposed to numerous facets of Retail and Commercial Lending. Prior to joining RF Eclipse, Andrew brings 17 years of tenancy with another Non-Bank Lender, Australian Unity Investments.

Andrew has developed and maintained strong relationships with numerous mortgage introducers and property related businesses throughout his career. Rounding out his extensive lending expertise, Andrew has sound experience in Construction funding, Asset/Credit Management and Credit Analysis.

Sonia Earp

Manager Investor Relations

Sonia Earp performs the role of Investor Relations Manager. In past roles Sonia has been employed in credit acceptance roles with funders and has performed loan administration functions at AMAL Asset Management on behalf of large institutional loan funders. Most recently Sonia was employed at Russell Investments supporting financial planners investing via a number of platforms that were managed by Russell Investments. Sonia's role is to provide a high level of customer service to the investors in the Fund, present new opportunities to them and attend to any enquiries that relate to those investments.

Tristan Murray

Company Secretary and Legal Counsel

Tristan has been associated with Schroders RF for more than 17 years. Tristan originally worked directly with the Company in loan and client management and then as a lawyer with an external law firm providing mortgage, default management and recovery services to the Company.

Tristan is a qualified practicing lawyer (NSW) and has over 15 years experience working in property and mortgage law. She was appointed company secretary in 2017.

Credit Committee

Chris Rees

Chairman

Chris joined Schroders RF in October 2016 and has 30 years of banking and finance experience with ANZ Bank including 20 years specialising in real estate finance. Chris held various senior positions at ANZ Bank including Head of Property and Construction Finance – Australia and New Zealand.

He is an adviser to and director of various companies within the TrustCapital Advisors Group, a fund manager specialising in commercial office property in Australia with A$1.0 billion under management.

George Kostas

Director, Credit Committee Member, Executive Chairman Roberts Co

George was appointed a Director of Schroders RF in June 2016 and is a Member of the Credit Committee.

George is currently the Executive Chairman of the Roberts Co Group, a tier one commercial contractor with operations across Australia, the Middle East and Eastern Europe and Managing Partner of Roberts Co Developments with projects spanning residential, commercial, industrial, retail and hospitality across Australia and the Middle East.

Before joining RF, George was chief executive of the largest privately held real estate group in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, the US$10 billion Majid Al Futtaim Properties based in Dubai, U.A.E. with interests spanning shopping malls, hotels and master planned communities.
Prior to this George spent 14 years with the Multiplex Group holding various executive roles across finance, treasury, strategy, mergers and acquisitions before being appointed as Managing Director of the residential development business Multiplex Living and completing his tenure with the Group as Managing Director for Multiplex Construction and Development Australasia and a member of the global executive team.

John Moore

Independent Member

John joined Schroders RF in July 2019 and has over 45 years of banking and finance experience with both Australian and international banks.

John was previously Head of Commercial Property Finance at Advance Bank. He also worked with ING Bank Australia for 19 years where he was Executive Director for Commercial Property Finance, Real Estate Finance and Utilities, Infrastructure and Project Finance.

Mal Graham

Independent Member

Mal joined Schroders RF in September 2019 and has over 45 years of banking and finance experience. Mal previously held senior executive lending roles within the Commonwealth Bank's Corporate and Business Banking structures and senior executive credit roles with non-bank commercial property financiers including ING Funds Management and Uniting Financial Services.

Mal was previously non-executive director of Gateway Bank where he held roles including Chairman and Deputy Chair during his 27 year board tenure.