Buy to Let Market Forum 2024 speakers

Jason has over 30 years of experience in the financial services sector and joined Crystal Specialist Finance in January 2020, becoming a shareholder later that year.

Originally starting out as a financial consultant with Pearl Assurance, Jason held various adviser positions before moving into account management with lender, Platform Home Loans, in 1998.

At Platform, Jason progressed through the management ranks and eventually led the sales channel between 2007 and 2010. During the difficult 2008 financial crisis, Jason stabilised credit risk and successfully moved Platform back into trading profit with lending targets exceeded.

After leaving Platform in 2010, Jason helped fintech company Uinsure become award-winning and dominate the intermediary sector for general insurance. During his time as director of sales at Uinsure, new distribution channels were gained and overall market share rose beyond 30%.

Jason plans to develop the Crystal Specialist Finance proposition so it becomes the most recommended distributor in the UK and he is a passionate co-founder of the Mortgage Industry Mental Health Charter.

Mike joined Market Financial Solutions in 2021, having previously helped provide billions in mortgage lending through customer-centric propositions.

After starting in Aviva Investors and Arthur Andersen, Mike briefly joined Lehman Brothers in 2007 as VP Mortgage Products and then joined ING Direct in 2008 where he tripled annual mortgage lending ahead of joining Bank of Ireland.

From there, he joined Vida Homeloans, which he left at the end of 2020 having originated a book of £2bn. Mike then joined MFS and was excited to bring over 25 years’ experience to the team and help bring its new buy-to-let product to the market.

Steve has over 30 years’ experience in financial services, having started out as a mortgage broker in the early 1990’s.
He was Head of Commercial Development with Sesame Bankhall Group for 8 years, prior to joining Hodge Lifetime as Business Development Director in 2016.
In 2019 Steve joined Fleet Mortgages as Distribution Director, and was promoted to Chief Commercial Officer in January 2021.

As joint head of sales for Precise and Kent Reliance for Intermediaries, James leads the dual-branded team of business development managers responsible for building and maintaining broker relationships within their regions, as well as promoting the opportunities the lenders can provide.

His role is to ensure the team continues to offer first-class service and provide the best support possible for brokers on buy-to-let, residential, new build, bridging finance and second-charge loan cases.

James has been working in financial services for more than 20 years. He started his career as a telephone business development manager for First Active before becoming an underwriter. After a two-year stint working as a broker, he joined Northern Rock/Virgin Money as a business development manager, before being promoted to a regional account manager, looking after key accounts across the North.

He joined OneSavings Bank in 2016, working first as a senior business development manager and then as a regional sales manager, running a team of business development managers across the North and West regions.

James understands the challenges brokers face, and his team are ready to assist them with their cases.

Beth joined the Landbay team in 2018 as a BDM, helping brokers with their complex buy-to-let cases. Beth has worked in the specialist buy-to-let market since 2014 on both the lender and distributor sides.

Beth works in the national accounts team, managing strategic relationships with the lender’s distribution partners. She is always looking for more ways to increase Landbay’s reach and forge strong relationships with its intermediary partners.

 Tom has worked in the financial services sector for over 15 years, with experience in both the broker and lending sectors.

Starting at Loan Options in 2005, Tom was an introducer manager. Thriving in a face-to-face environment, Tom became a BDM in 2010 which became the start of his career in sales.

He moved to the specialist sector in 2016, working at Roma Finance and Together, before moving to MFS in 2022.

He was promoted from BDM to key account manager for the North in 2024, where he supports brokers with a range of products and services

Ian Hall joined Landbay in June 2018 and has worked in the specialist buy-to-let market as a business development manager since 2005.

Before Landbay, Ian worked for Paragon and CHL Mortgages, providing essential support to brokers in the industry. Ian has detailed expertise in the buy-to-let sector and is dedicated to providing brokers with excellent customer service.

Emily Hollands is group head of distribution at OSB Group, responsible for developing its distribution network, as well as ensuring that key relationships are well supported at all levels.

Her extensive knowledge of corporate accounts and specialist distributors, combined with the experience gained in her previous role as head of specialist finance, makes her ideally suited to developing the distribution strategy across the Group’s three lending brands.

Emily has worked in financial services for more than 20 years, with Chelsea Building Society, Northern Rock, Virgin Money and TSB.

She joined OSB Group in 2016 as a national account manager, before becoming head of national accounts and then head of specialist finance in 2021.

 Emma joined MFS in 2023 as a business development manager. Using her 25+ years’ financial services experience, she has expanded the MFS brand and broker network across Wales and the West coast of England, finding bespoke solutions for brokers’ complex cases.

Emma started her banking career in 2005, working on residential mortgages at the Royal Bank of Scotland, before working at Barclays and Lloyds Banking Group.

After focusing steadily on offering client mortgage and protection advice, Emma decided to step into the world of specialist finance in 2017, where she started as a regional business development manager at Mortgage Advice Bureau, before moving to MFS as a BDM in 2023.

Mark is the managing director and founder of Pegasus Insight, a full-service market research business.

He’s been delivering private rented sector and buy-to-let-related research for over 15 years.

During this time, Mark’s clients in the private rented sector include almost all of the major buy-to-let mortgage lenders, Home Office Science, Grainger plc, Rightmove, Crisis, Battersea, SSE, BEIS, the NRLA and a range of other stakeholders.

In 2006, Mark designed and launched ‘Landlords Trends’ – a multi-client survey of private landlord sentiment which has run quarterly without a break since.

Landlord Trends has become the ‘go-to’ source of private rented sector insight from a landlord’s perspective.

Mark is a chartered member of the Market Research Society and has been awarded Research Excellence awards from the Society.

Dan Morris is an expert in specialist finance and Crystal is here to help with all your

complex cases.

Dan’s knowledge and experience in placing these tricky cases for all kinds of unusual deals, non-standard properties and other complex scenarios means there’s usually a solution to be found.

Supported at Crystal by a multi-award-winning team for bridging loans, commercial finance,

development finance, complex buy-to-lets, second-charge loans and specialist residential,

means Dan can help provide a home for almost any case.

Wes is part of Fleet Mortgage’s Key Account Management Team. He has over 20 years’ experience in the financial services sector in a range of roles, with a focus on the origination of specialist lending. He supports Fleet’s intermediary partners, and helps to manage their key relationships.

Phil Riches is the sales director at Keystone Property Finance.

He is responsible for developing the sales strategy and managing a team of highly experienced specialist buy-to-let business development managers.

Phil joined Keystone over 10 years ago, bringing over 35 years of knowledge from the finance industry.

He has played an intrinsic part in the relaunch of Keystone, as well as presenting and educating brokers on a variety of subjects relating to the specialist buy-to-let market.

Louisa has over 25 years’ experience navigating the complexities of lending, broking and distribution.

This depth translates into well-rounded expertise and an extensive network of trusted partners.

Louisa joined Fleet Mortgages as national key account manager in 2020 and is responsible for managing partnerships with its key accounts, networks and mortgage clubs.

She cultivates strategic relationships that strengthen market presence.

Louisa thrives on collaboration, empowering brokers and key partners to stay ahead of the curve and plan for what lies ahead.

Rob is a leading UK expert in mortgage and housing research.

He was an economist at the Bank of England, a financial analyst at UBS and he initiated the European mortgage finance agency project.

He developed the blueprint for the NewBuy mortgage scheme and Deposit Unlock.

He now writes the research for the Intermediary Mortgage Lenders Association (IMLA) as well as undertaking a number of special projects in the mortgage market in the UK and abroad.

David is CEO of buy-to-let lender Keystone Property Finance.

His passion and expertise are reflected through his active engagement and strong relationships with other industry leaders and lenders.

He is often called upon to give advice on lending criteria and help design new products.

David is renowned for telling it like it is. He is frequently asked for comments by both the national and trade press and is a regular speaker at industry events.

Jason Wilde is national sales manager at Paragon Bank, a leading specialist in buy-to-let finance.

With an impressive career that has spanned over two decades within the property industry, Jason’s journey with Paragon began in 2007 as a business development manager. He progressed to his current position in 2019, in which he now leads a team of 11 accomplished field-based BDMs.

Renowned for his expertise within the buy-to-let sector, Jason has been a featured speaker at numerous industry events, where he has shared invaluable insights into the market.

His presentations cover a wide range of topics, including the intricate details of HMO planning and its impact on finance, the strategic use of limited company structures, and the nuances of landlord incorporation.

Joe Heayes, corporate relationship manager, The Mortgage Works

With over 20 years’ experience within the mortgage industry, Joe has spent the last 15 years working directly with intermediaries for the UK’s two largest lenders.

Joe joined Nationwide in 2008 and worked as lead change and propositions manager before joining the corporate team in 2016. She continues to lead key projects for the intermediary relationship team.

Simon has worked in various positions within financial services for over 25 years, previously with Northern Rock, Portman Building Society and Bristol & West, before joining Nationwide for Intermediaries when it started in 2008.

Simon was appointed corporate account manager in 2015 and is responsible for managing the relationship with several networks and mortgage clubs. Before this, he was a business development manager responsible in the Sussex Area.

Adrian has worked in the mortgage industry for over 39 years. After running several branches and a mortgage centre for Nationwide, he joined UCB as a business development manager in 2000. He later joined the corporate account team and, following the merger of Nationwide and Portman, took on his current role in 2009 looking after Nationwide and The Mortgage Works with several key accounts.