What locations and how many advisers and broker firms do you cover in your role?
I cover the Edinburgh area and the Scottish Borders, currently looking after about 200 advisers and brokers.
How do you establish and maintain a good relationship with brokers?
I always try to understand my brokers’ business as well as getting to know them personally, helping develop stronger relationships. Building trust and credibility is key. Finally, honesty is key and letting a broker know quickly we cannot help a client is as important as a quick yes.
What personal talent or skill is most valuable in doing your job?
It is really important to be organised each day and week so that when your broker makes contact you can respond to them in a timely fashion – speed of service and quick, quality decision making is what brokers want.
What personal talent would you most like to improve on?
I am not a golfer but have found that since moving to Scottish Building Society I need to improve quickly to keep up with my adviser and broker contacts.
What’s the best bit of career-related advice you’ve ever been given?
Always surround yourself with people better than you.
What is the most interesting or memorable property deal you’ve been involved in?
I helped clients fund their dream home. The project involved them demolishing their existing family home and moving into a caravan on-site until their new home was built. It was a daunting but exciting time for the family – seeing the old family home and all its memories disappear but then a new, amazing home taking shape.
If you were head of the FCA for the day, what would you change about regulation in the mortgage industry?
I can’t think of anything specific but implementing policies that create stability and confidence are important at the current time.
What was your motivation for choosing business development as a career?
I have been with the Society for five years doing a few different roles. As Area Manager in the Borders, I worked with a number of local brokers and early last year took the opportunity to work full time as a BDM. I’m a people person; I like getting out and meeting people, helping them assist their clients and building that lasting relationship. I also enjoy my role in local communities, including hosting and presenting at various events, and working on our partnership with Scottish Women’s Football.
If you could do any other job in the property sector, what would it be and why?
I have always wished I was better at DIY – I would have loved to have been able to build my own house or put on that extension we need.
What did you want to be growing up?
I wanted to play football for Scotland and score that winning goal in a World Cup Final – I am old enough to remember Scotland getting to their last finals in 1998. Hopefully the Scottish Women’s National Team will perform well in this summer’s Women’s World Cup in France.
If you could have one super power, what would it be?
It would be great to be able to fly – I could then get about Edinburgh quicker for my meetings
And finally, what’s the strangest question you’ve ever been asked?
What do you wear under your kilt?
