South Asian Mortgage Professionals and Allies Network: Building visibility, opportunity and confidence

A new industry network is aiming to shine a spotlight on South Asian talent within the mortgage and protection sector, while also helping more people from South Asian communities access careers, advice and homeownership opportunities.

Speaking during a recent Working in Mortgages Lunch & Learn session, the founders of the South Asian Mortgage Professionals and Allies Network (SAMPAN) outlined why they believe the network is needed, what it hopes to achieve and how the wider industry can help support its growth.

Founded last year by Gurpreet Chahal (pictured), regional sales manager at Accord, Dina Budhia, CEO of broker P2M Group, and Paul Purewal, head of intermediary relations at Dudley Building Society, the SAMPAN was created to tackle what the founders see as both a representation gap and a missed opportunity for the mortgage industry.

South Asians make up around 7.5% of the UK population, equating to more than five million people. Yet while the industry includes many talented individuals from South Asian backgrounds, the representation becomes thinner at senior levels.

Chahal explained: “There seems to be a bottleneck at middle management. We have colleagues coming into the industry and progressing, but often struggling to move into senior leadership positions.”

The discussion also highlighted barriers faced by some South Asian consumers when trying to access mortgages. Cultural nuances around intergenerational living and pooled family deposits are not always understood by lenders, and language barriers can sometimes create misunderstandings or make the advice process harder to navigate.

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For some families, children are still acting as translators for parents during financial discussions, something that should not still be happening in modern financial services.

Chahal added: “We want to improve accessibility and understanding. Not just because it is the right thing to do, but because there is a huge untapped opportunity for the industry too.”

 

More than representation

While increasing visibility is a major goal, the SAMPAN’s ambitions extend far beyond representation alone.

The network has three core aims:

• Promoting and celebrating South Asian talent already working within the industry
• Encouraging more people from South Asian communities to view mortgages and protection as a genuine career choice
• Improving education, allyship and cultural understanding across firms

The founders spoke candidly about cultural expectations that can still steer young South Asians towards more traditional professions such as medicine, law or accountancy, while careers in financial services are often overlooked.

Budhia explained: “There is still a perception issue. Apprenticeships and mortgage careers are often not discussed positively within our communities, despite the opportunities they offer.”

The group believes outreach into schools and communities will play a crucial role in changing perceptions and showcasing the mortgage industry as a purposeful and rewarding profession.

 

Growing momentum

The SAMPAN launched its first event in London in October 2025 at Lloyds Banking Group, featuring senior industry figures sharing their personal journeys and experiences.

One theme emerged repeatedly throughout the discussions: fitting in.

Budhia said: “Everyone talked about trying to fit in. That resonated with so many people in the room.”

The event was heavily oversubscribed and attracted significant ally support from across the industry. Since then, the SAMPAN has expanded beyond London, recently holding a second event in the Midlands with support from Paragon Bank.

That session explored practical topics including recruitment, apprenticeships and career progression. The founders said many attendees were surprised to learn how flexible apprenticeships can be, not only for young people but also for career changers and those entering the industry later in life.

The discussions also exposed another challenge: confidence.

“We realised many people from our communities had never spoken publicly before. Even experienced people in the industry were nervous about panel discussions. That showed us there is still work to do around confidence and visibility,” Budhia added.

 

The importance of allyship

Throughout the session, the founders repeatedly stressed that the SAMPAN is not designed solely for South Asians. The network actively encourages allies from all backgrounds to get involved, share opportunities and help amplify the message.

Industry attendees pledged support during the discussion, with several highlighting the importance of increasing visibility and encouraging firms to think more consciously about diversity at events, in recruitment and when deciding who gets access to senior leaders and career opportunities. The founders also praised the support already received from organisations, including Working in Mortgages and other diversity initiatives across the sector.

 

Looking ahead

The SAMPAN’s ambitions for the coming year include:

• Growing its membership and LinkedIn community
• Hosting more regional events
• Encouraging more South Asian speakers and role models to step forward
• Promoting apprenticeships and alternative career pathways
• Working with firms to improve recruitment and progression
• Increasing outreach into schools and communities
• Helping firms better understand the needs of diverse customers

The founders were clear that meaningful progress would require collaboration across the industry.

“We need people to hold our hands through this journey. Amplify our message, share opportunities and help us bring more people into the conversation,” Budhia told attendees.

The session closed with a wider call to action for the industry to engage with the Working in Mortgages ED&I survey, with participants urged to ensure their voices help shape future progress.

For the SAMPAN itself, however, the message was simple: greater visibility, greater inclusion and greater opportunity will benefit not only South Asian professionals and customers, but the mortgage industry as a whole.

For more information, follow the SAMPAN on LinkedIn: South Asian Mortgages Professionals & Allies Network: Posts | LinkedIn