Grace Bennett is the new business development manager (BDM) for London, while Steve Bailey is the BDM for the South East. Pepper Money, a specialist mortgage lender, said the appointments reflect how the company is growing to meet demand for specialist lending solutions.
Ryan Brailsford (pictured), business development director at Pepper Money, said: “Our most recent Specialist Lending Study shows that 73% of Londoners who have experienced adverse credit are concerned it will impact their ability to secure a mortgage, alongside 59% in the South East, highlighting the need for more tailored, advice-led support in these regions.
“These appointments are an important step in broadening our field sales team and strengthening our regional presence. Introducing dedicated support in London, alongside expanding our coverage in the South East, ensures we are well-positioned to work more closely with brokers as demand for specialist lending continues to grow.”
New hires
Bailey joins Pepper Money from specialist lenders including Landbay, Bluestone and LiveMore. He has also held roles at Lighthouse Group and OneFamily in the equity release market, which Brailsford said gives him a “well-rounded perspective on the evolving needs of brokers”.
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Bennett joins from Family Building Society, where she progressed from telephone-based BDM support into a field role, spending nearly six years working closely with brokers across London and developing a strong understanding of intermediary relationships and support.
Both Bennett and Bailey said they are looking forward to joining Pepper Money.
“The business has a strong reputation for supporting advisers with a flexible and pragmatic approach, and I’m looking forward to building relationships and helping brokers place more complex cases with confidence,” Bennett noted.
Bailey added: “With the market continuing to evolve, there is a growing need for specialist solutions, and I’m looking forward to working closely with advisers to help them find the right outcomes for their customers.”
Standalone entity
Pepper Money UK announced last week that has transitioned to operate as a standalone UK-regulated entity and will no longer be part of the Pepper Group, a global financial services company with subsidiaries in Australia, New Zealand, Spain and Indonesia.
It continues to be majority-owned by private equity firm KKR.
