SMARTER LENDINGPurpose built finance for commercial property investment and development.
Why Us
Bridgewest Finance has been assisting borrowers achieve their property goals since 2016.
Experienced Team
Our team comprises experienced financial professionals dedicated to providing exceptional service.
Flexible
Custom tailored and specialist financing for every unique opportunity.
Transparency and Integrity
We operate with transparency and integrity, ensuring clear communication and ethical practices.
Prompt
Prompt turnaround time so you can move ahead.
Rees Ward
Chief Executive Officer
Rees Ward is an Operating Partner Bridgewest Global and New Zealand General Manager at Bridgewest New Zealand. Rees leads the administrative and operational functions and plays an integral role in advancing New Zealand portfolio companies, the technology incubator and the real estate portfolio. His diverse experience in legal, commercial and public sector backgrounds, combined with his genuine passion for New Zealand and positivity, stands him in good stead to inspire and support key initiatives, executives, entrepreneurs, stakeholders and entities. Be kind, be present and persist, are core to the way Rees lives his life and encourages team spirit. He enjoys leading by example, connecting people, and facilitating the ongoing growth of teams, entrepreneurs and businesses to being as successful as possible. Rees joined Bridgewest in 2017 and has worked to grow Bridgewest Group's activities, investments and operations across New Zealand. Previously, Rees was the founding Director of the Wellington ICT Graduate School and New Zealand's Deputy Consul General to Western USA based in Los Angeles. Rees gained his Bachelor of Laws (L.L.B.) and Bachelor of Commerce and Administration (B.C.A. specializing in Management, Marketing & Japanese) degrees from Victoria University of Wellington.
Lisa Carswell
General Manager
Lisa Carswell currently serves as the General Manager of Bridgewest Finance New Zealand, bringing over 15 years of specialized experience in property investment and development funding. Her expertise spans managing loan portfolios ranging from $3 million to $100 million across New Zealand. Lisa has a profound understanding of funding strategies and development processes which are engrained in her extensive tenure as a lender in the sector. Prior to Lisa joining Bridgewest in 2022, Lisa built a notable career at two major banks, including a managerial position at BNZ Property Finance. During her tenure there, she successfully sourced and managed substantial funding projects for some of New Zealand's most renowned commercial property developers and investors. Lisa holds both a Bachelor of Business in International Business and a New Zealand Diploma in Business from Auckland University of Technology.
Nadia Tayebi
Portfolio Manager
Nadia Tayebi is a portfolio manager at Bridgewest Finance Australia. Nadia enjoys discovering new opportunities stemming from market research, data analysis, and process improvement. As an avid learner, she welcomes the vast knowledge of SMEs across Bridgewest Group eco-community in her quest to find keen insights. Nadia worked previously with a Bridgewest Group start-up managing operations and working with the tech team on product builds. Nadia has a BA in Anthropology and Business Finance from the University of Southern California.
Our Team
Chief Executive Officer
Rees Ward
General Manager
Lisa Carswell
Portfolio Manager
Nadia Tayebi
Bridgewest Finance
Established in 2016, Bridgewest Finance is a global financial services firm with offices in Auckland, Sydney, and the United States. We specialise in non-bank property finance, offering bespoke funding solutions to borrowers across a range of sectors, including commercial investments, commercial developments, land subdivisions, residential developments, and residual stock funding. Our extensive industry expertise, flexible financing structures, and commitment to fostering long-term partnerships enable us to respond promptly and effectively where traditional lenders often cannot. At Bridgewest Finance, we are dedicated to converting opportunities into tangible outcomes, supporting our clients in realising their commercial property ambitions.
Bridgewest Group
Bridgewest Finance operates as part of the wider Bridgewest Group, a global investment firm with a 25-year history of building transformative businesses across life sciences, deep technology, semiconductors, and advanced manufacturing. Founded by visionary entrepreneurs Dr. Massih Tayebi and Dr. Masood Tayebi, Bridgewest is distinguished by its strategic, hands-on approach—incubating new ideas, scaling early-stage ventures, and guiding mature companies toward impactful exits. Our portfolio includes over 40 companies and spans sectors critical to the future of healthcare and technology, including AI, biologics manufacturing, gene therapy, drug development, cloud infrastructure, and 5G innovation.
Alongside our venture investments, Bridgewest also manages a significant real estate and fixed income portfolio. These holdings include commercial properties, development projects, and tailored credit strategies that generate stable returns. Our real estate and lending platforms support broader group initiatives, providing flexibility, liquidity, and opportunities to deploy capital across cycles and markets.
With a presence in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Asia, we actively partners with founders, governments, and research institutions to unlock high-growth opportunities and accelerate innovation. Our team provides deep operational support—from capital markets and legal structuring to product strategy and executive mentoring—ensuring each venture has the tools and guidance to scale sustainably. Notable achievements include launching BioDuro (now the world’s third-largest CRDMO), acquiring and transforming Pfizer’s Australian facilities into leading CDMO BioCina, and engineering successful exits such as RapidBridge to Qualcomm and Wavious to a Fortune 5 tech company.
At Bridgewest, we invest with purpose: empowering people, advancing industries, and shaping a better future through bold ideas and enduring partnerships.
BWG