The Scotsman who once lived in sheltered housing now helps the world’s wealthiest secure multi-million-pound deals at lightning speed.
A British entrepreneur has revealed how he went from growing up in council housing to becoming the go-to finance broker for billionaires, pop stars and global business leaders.
Islay Robinson, 44, was born on the tiny Scottish isle of Islay before moving with his mother to Hounslow at the age of nine.
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Raised in sheltered accommodation and attending one of the roughest schools in the UK, his early prospects looked bleak.
But after landing a summer job at mortgage firm Alexander Hall, he caught a glimpse of another world.
“I had no idea what a mortgage was,” he recalled. “The consultant just asked if I owned a tie and could travel into the City.”
Surrounded by brokers in sharp suits making big money during the property boom, Robinson decided to quit university and work his way up. Within three years, he was one of the firm’s top brokers.
By his mid-20s, he was renting in Chiswick and enjoying luxury holidays in New York, Dubai and Mexico. But the long City hours left him restless.
In 2007, he launched his own firm, ENNESS, on the very day Northern Rock collapsed. With debts piling up and no degree to fall back on, he gambled everything.
One deal saved him. “I closed a bridging loan for a high-profile client against a property in Virginia Water for £11m,” he said. “That made the company £110,000 and kept me afloat.”
Today, Robinson employs 55 staff across ENNESS and Tenn Capital, handling everything from mortgages and securities finance to crypto-backed loans.
His clients include some of the world’s richest individuals, who turn to him when they need to raise millions – fast.
“People call me and say, ‘Islay, I need to borrow £4m in three weeks,’” he explained. “The top 1% want discretion, speed and efficiency. I’ve spent 20 years building my black book so I can open doors at the right banks.”
Earlier this year, his team raised £7m in just two days by lending against bitcoin. Another client, a world-famous musician, came to him for help securing a UK property deposit.
Despite the glamorous clientele, Robinson says much of his day is spent on calls and WhatsApp. “It’s not as flashy as it sounds,” he said.
“But one of the best parts of my job is watching clients grow, from buying their first £300,000 house to upgrading as their careers take off.”
Outside work, Robinson lives in London with his wife of 10 years, Emily, and their three daughters, aged three, seven and nine.
With Christmas approaching, he’s planning family time – after first taking his staff out for their annual celebration. “We’re taking over a bar in Soho this year,” he said with a grin.
From a boy who once avoided making eye contact in the City to a man on first-name terms with billionaires, Islay Robinson’s journey proves that with the right breaks – and relentless graft – anything is possible.
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