Sabbaghe brings 20 years of financial services experience, having started as a mortgage adviser and then spent over 15 years in the intermediary mortgage space, most recently at Coventry Building Society.
Brendan Crowshaw, head of mortgage and savings distribution at Vernon Building Society, said Sabbaghe’s track record supporting major brokerages with complex cases “matches the Vernon’s flexible, customer-led approach”.
He added: “Damien joins the Vernon at an exciting time. We have just revitalised our mortgage proposition and have a range of specialist and competitive products for borrowers with unusual or complex circumstances. This gives Damien a really clear pitch to develop new broker relationships with. His decades of experience and existing broker network made him the perfect candidate.”
Best-kept secret
Sabbaghe said he described Vernon Building Society as “one of the best-kept secrets for complex mortgages” in his interview for the role.
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He added: “I cannot wait to change that by raising awareness and growing the Vernon’s reputation amongst brokers who need a more flexible and individual approach.”
The mutual announced its results last month, which showed a small fall in mortgage lending compared with the year before.
The society, based in Stockport, completed £84m in gross mortgage lending in 2025, down from £89.6m the year before.
Despite the fall in lending, the mutual saw its mortgage book grow 4.6% to £439.5m. Vernon Building Society said the 2025 housing market was subdued, and borrowers were “understandably cautious”, but it “performed strongly” against that backdrop.
Darren Ditchburn, chief executive, said: “In 2026, we’ll continue to invest in the future of the society, from specialist mortgages and competitive savings accounts to enhanced digital services and community branches, all while staying true to our mutual values.”
