Whittaker (pictured) is responsible for managing key intermediary accounts at the lender and said: “I’m very proud of the work we have done as a team at Santander and what has been achieved. I think that work is respected by the industry.”
A spokesperson for Santander said: “We would like to thank Adrian for all his hard work and commitment, and we wish him all the very best for the future. Brad Fordham is now responsible for managing all areas of our intermediary sales force, including our key account team.
Santander is now one of the largest lenders in the UK operating without a key mortgage accounts director.
The lender continued: “We have one of the largest sales forces in the market and we believe the best. Expanding Brad’s role as sales director allows us to bring together all areas of our intermediary sales force under a single management structure, and supports our goal of becoming the intermediary partner of choice.”
Jeremy Duncombe is responsible for field sales but the lender confirmed he will stay in another undisclosed role at Santander UK.
Whittaker was responsible for managing the lender’s relationships with its key accounts and joined Abbey as key accounts director from Lloyds Banking Group in February 2008.
Paul Shearman, mortgage and protection proposition director at Openwork, said: “Having dealt with Adrian for many years at Abbey and prior to that BM and Chelsea, he has huge experience of the intermediary market, great relationships and a positive track record of delivery. I suspect it won’t therefore be too long before he re-surfaces.”
Nigel Stockton, financial services director at Countrywide, said: “I wish Adrian all the best as he’s one of the good guys. I’m sure it’ll be a quick return to work.”
Abbey said it has no plans for further redundancies within the mortgage team in 2013.
