Liam Wilkinson

Spear’s Review

Liam Wilkinson is the founder and CEO of Fortier Finance, a privately owned, independent mortgage broker based in Nice, France.

Established in 2021 and registered with the French regulator ORIAS, the firm specialises in helping ultra-high-net-worth individuals from the UK and elsewhere purchase prime property and other luxury assets. Wilkinson has been based in the South of France for over a decade and works across Europe – a strong selling point for his internationally mobile client base. The multilingual team is well positioned to guide clients through all financing requests that exceed €1 million. 

His business has seen a spike in the aftermath of the UK government’s changes to non-dom rules; he reports a threefold increase in enquiries about international mortgages. ‘The HNW exodus is certainly real,’ he tells Spear’s. ‘We’ve had a significant rise in individuals looking to relocate to Monaco.’

Adviser Profile

Established during the Brexit transition to address the growing demand for regulated, local expertise, Fortier Finance has become a recognised leader in European debt structuring for international clients. The firm’s growth has been entirely organic, driven by trusted referrals from leading property, legal, tax and wealth management advisers across the UK, US and Europe.

Since relocating to Nice in 2013, Liam has built an impressive black book of contacts. He confirms that the mortgage market in Europe differs significantly from those in the UK and US, presenting numerous barriers to entry. This extensive knowledge stems from having feet on the ground – living and breathing the European art de vivre while maintaining British values at the core of his business endeavours.

He notes that the world’s wealthiest individuals value independent, honest and creative solutions, particularly in time-sensitive transactions. The firm has advised FTSE-listed business leaders, senior Bloomberg executives and celebrated sports personalities on strategic financing solutions across Southern Europe’s prime residential and lifestyle markets.

‘The European lending landscape is really shaped by long-standing personal relationships and genuine, feet-on-the-ground experience,’ Wilkinson explains. ‘What our clients appreciate is notre savoir-faire – a deep, instinctive understanding of local nuances. We bring clarity, discretion and decisive execution to what can otherwise feel like a complex and exclusive process, helping them access the very best opportunities with confidence.’

Fortier Finance continues to guide its clients through some of Europe’s most sophisticated real estate transactions – delivering compliant, creative and precisely executed lending solutions with absolute discretion.