Russell Gilling Joins Breal Group Bolstering Business Development and Origination

21/05/2026 • Insight

 

Russell Gilling joins Breal Group to focus on seeking new equity investment opportunities in the mid market.

Russell brings with him extensive experience across banking and asset-based lending origination, developed over a career spanning more than 40 years in financial services.

Having started his career at NatWest, Russell spent 20 years with the bank before moving into the asset-based lending sector, where he worked alongside Brent Osborne at Bank of New York, GMAC and Landsbanki. During this period, he developed significant expertise in originating and structuring transactions, as well as building strong relationships across the lending and advisory community.

In 2011, Russell joined US Bank PNC to help establish and grow a new business origination team in London, playing a key role in expanding the bank’s presence and client network within the UK market. He later reunited with Brent Osborne in 2018 to help launch the ABL platform Breal Zeta, which successfully grew and was ultimately rebranded as BZ and sold to a US fund.

Russell specialises in deal origination and relationship management, with a strong track record of developing and maintaining long-term relationships with clients, financial services firms and professional advisory providers. His broad network and deep understanding of the mid-market landscape will further strengthen Breal Group’s ability to identify and support attractive investment opportunities.