Management Team
Hugh Sigrist
Managing Director
Having qualified in Business Studies and obtained the Finance and Leasing Association Diploma, Hugh began his finance career with United Dominions Trust, a TSB Group Company. Hugh then moved to British Credit Trust, part of the Bank of Ireland. In 1986 he won the companies National Sales Person of the Year Award. This was for the top individual sales performance for a national company with 46 branches. Hugh was involved with both third party introduced business (originating from suppliers, motor dealerships and brokers), as well as the direct corporate sector, financing vehicle fleets, plant and machinery.
In 1987 he became Sales Manager, responsible for an annual target in excess of £25 million and managing a sales team of 10 people. In 1990 Hugh became the companies youngest Branch Manager. In this role he gained valuable experience in underwriting, sales promotions, bad debt management, personnel and audit. The following year his branch won the award as the Top Producer of Credit Insurance / Fee Income in the country.
Following the closure of British Credit Trust, Hugh joined Mercedes Benz Finance as an Area Manager and through this role enjoyed an in-depth knowledge of the operational complexities of a manufacturer finance house. It was through this position the opportunity and involvement at Reliance was identified. Hugh developed the current finance brokerage Reliance Financial Contracts and became Managing Director in June 2004. In May 2008 he sold the business to Close Asset Finance Limited, a subsidiary of Close Brothers Merchant Bank and remained to run the operation.