Which locations and how many advisers and broker firms do you cover in your role at Afin Bank?
As national key account manager, I am responsible for building and strengthening partnerships with key broker firms, networks, packagers and mortgage clubs across the UK.
What personal talent/skill is most valuable in doing your job?
The most valuable skill is building trusted relationships by listening and asking the right questions. It’s really important to understand the needs of our intermediary partners, especially when dealing with complex or non-standard cases.
I’m trying to find an Afin lending solution that meets the needs of the broker and their client. This approach not only helps simplify what can be quite complex lending problems, it also helps to build long-term trust with our partners. They know we can deliver.
Aldermore Insights with Jon Cooper: Edition 9 – Why lending strategy is becoming more central in buy to let
Sponsored by Aldermore
What’s the hardest part of your job?
Balancing the expectations of partners against the complexity of the cases we’re working on can be hard. Many of the brokers I work with are dealing with time‑sensitive, non‑standard cases, whether that’s self‑employed borrowers, applicants with complex incomes or borrowers with thin credit history, where there’s rarely a straightforward solution.
So, it can be challenging to maintain clear communication with brokers, while I am also dealing with internal teams, and still maintain momentum and manage expectations.
But it also what makes the role very fulfilling. When a complex case comes together it is a real sense of achievement and makes all the hard work worthwhile.
What do you love most about your job?
I love finding solutions where cases feel challenging or uncertain, particularly if they have been declined somewhere else. Working with a partner to successfully get a mortgage for someone, whatever their circumstances, is incredibly rewarding.
And I love working with all the advisers. Knowing that my input can make a complex case feel simpler and give them confidence is what motivates me every day.
What has been the biggest lesson you’ve learned in your career?
Success is built through hard work, consistency and clear purpose. Progress rarely comes easily or by chance. It requires dedication, resilience and a willingness to stay focused on long‑term goals.
Having a clear objective, committing fully to it, while adapting along the way, have been key drivers in my career growth. This mindset has enabled me to overcome challenges, build credibility, and continuously develop both professionally and personally.
How do you keep up to date with developments in the market?
I talk to brokers and industry partners to understand their challenges first-hand, as well as keeping close to what’s going on in the market. I read all the key industry publications, keep up to date with regulatory changes, as well as keeping an eye on the news for wider economic influences.
Afin is full of smart people with lots of experience, so I work closely with our underwriting, sales and product teams to help me understand how market developments translate into real‑world lending, which is vital in a constantly evolving market.
What was your motivation for choosing this career?
I was drawn to an industry that combines relationship‑building, problem‑solving and commercial insight, where no two cases are ever the same. I also like the fact I am making a difference to people’s lives by helping them buy their own homes.
The pace, complexity and constant evolution of the market continue to inspire me, while the ability to build long‑term, trusted partnerships helps me maintain my passion for the job.
What did you want to be growing up?
A cricketer. I loved the game and spent around four hours a day playing during my early teens, but it wasn’t really a career path my parents supported. Different generation, different time, but that’s all good.
If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
I’d definitely choose invisibility. It would be perfect for dodging awkward situations, overhearing what people really think, and, of course, sneaking a biscuit without anyone noticing.
What do you do to unwind?
Long walks, going for a bike ride, listening to music and watching a good documentary.
