Which locations and how many advisers and broker firms do you cover in your role at Suffolk Building Society?
I cover firms based in the South West of England, as well as South Wales. These firms specialise in a wide range of lending niches, including older borrowers, expat and self-build mortgages. Within my remit, I manage well over a hundred firms and more advisers.
What personal talent/skill is most valuable in doing your job?
I’m a confident and outgoing person who enjoys building relationships with others. This is especially valuable in my role, where I will be focusing on building rapport and establishing credibility as an accurate source of information. Having previously worked as a broker for five years, I understand the pressures that they can be placed under, as well as the importance of a quick, accurate answer.
What personal talent/skill would you most like to improve on?
From a work-related angle, it’s got to be Excel. I know the basics, but I end up Googling anything slightly complex.
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Outside of work – cardio. I go to the gym five times per week, but I haven’t been on a run since lockdown.
What’s the hardest part of your job?
The rare occasions when we cannot find a solution for a case and I have to tell a broker that we cannot assist them.
What do you love most about your job?
Building relationships with individual brokerages and large firms, as well as being known as the ‘go-to’ BDM for complex cases.
What’s the best bit of career-related advice you’ve ever been given? Who gave it to you?
Tackle your most difficult task at the beginning of the day, which is also known as ‘eat the frog’. This is the time when your mind is freshest, plus it allows you to spend the rest of your day focusing on your other tasks, rather than worrying about the task you’re avoiding. Otherwise, the difficult task will be on your mind all day and be a detriment to the quality of your other work.
I was told this by a previous colleague, specialist lending director Dan Gracie.
What has been the biggest lesson you’ve learned in your career?
It’s okay not to know the answer to something. Brokers and clients admire honesty and require accuracy. It’s better to step away and research a topic, rather than provide information that may not be accurate, which could damage future relationships.
How do you keep up to date with developments in the market?
I regularly monitor LinkedIn, and have signed up for a number of trade publications’ email alerts. It’s a time-efficient way to see what’s happening in the marketplace, either in terms of industry trends, innovations, or the views of brokers, clubs and networks.
What is the most quirky/unique property deal you’ve been involved in?
In my short time at Suffolk, I’ve seen some really quirky cases that you may think just aren’t possible. For example, we’ve recently approved lending for a retired applicant with no pension income, who was looking to gift a sum to his family. He is not yet drawing from the SIPP, but we were happy to monetise this and use this as notional income. The mortgage will take the applicant well into his late 90s, but the property had sufficient equity, so we were happy to arrange this mortgage on an interest-only basis.
Tell us about your trickiest case – what happened and how did you resolve the problem(s)?
It’s still early days at Suffolk Building Society, so I have yet to come across a truly tricky case. I’m thankful that we use such a common-sense approach, with the sales and lending teams always working together to find reasons to lend or ways to shape cases. So, if there is a solution for a case, we’ll find it.
What was your motivation for choosing this career?
I’ve always been interested in financial services since my time at university in Nottingham. I studied business, and one of my modules was an introduction to financial services. The module focused on ‘vanilla’ mortgages, but I was always intrigued to find out more about the complex side of the industry.
If you could do any other job in the property sector, what would it be and why?
An underwriter. I feel I have a good eye for detail, which is essential in an underwriting role, and it would be interesting to learn more about this side of a case.
What did you want to be growing up?
Chelsea FC’s player manager. If only I had never injured my knee.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Hopefully, maintaining the relationships I’ve built with brokers and selling more quirky Suffolk Building Society criteria.
If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
Time travel – I’d become the first person to win the lottery 10 times in a row.
What is your strategy for tackling challenges?
Face them head-on. If you avoid the difficult tasks, they only become much more difficult.
What is your greatest skill(s), either work- or non-work-related?
I’m very outgoing. I love talking to new people, so whether I’m taking enquiries from brokers or wasting 30 minutes at the gym speaking to people, I’m always happy to have a chat.
And finally, what’s the strangest question you’ve ever been asked?
A client of mine once asked the best way to manipulate income on a mortgage application. Not the best thing to ask your mortgage broker.
