Agent JLL has appointed Chris Gow as head of debt advisory for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) in its Hotels and Hospitality Group, based in London.

JLL said that the new position reflects 'steady and sustained growth in investors seeking to access hotel real estate through debt financing'.

Gow joins from HMT where he was a partner and established the firm’s debt advisory offering within the corporate finance team. His 30-year career to date has seen him work on the buy- and sell-side, specialising in investment, credit and structured finance. Previously he held senior positions at Candlewick Asset Management, Lloyds Bank and the Bank of Scotland.

At JLL he will work alongside the firm’s M&A, funds advisory and investment sales and acquisition experts across EMEA.

Philip Ward, EMEA CEO, Hotels & Hospitality Group, JLL, said: 'Chris joins at an evolutionary time where the universe of investors and lenders is becoming more diverse, and clients need high-quality advice more than ever.'