Coventry Building Society has become the first lender to become an associate firm of the Society of Mortgage Professionals (SMP).
The society launched its firm status last month to allow firms to publicly align with its professional standards and code of ethics.
This includes a pledge to act in the best interests of clients and a commitment to operating a diversity and inclusion policy for clients and staff.
Kevin Purvey (pictured), director of mortgage distribution at Coventry Building Society, said: “We are delighted to become an associate firm of the Society of Mortgage Professionals. We are strong advocates of customers getting advice, and the need for them to see a professional adviser is even more relevant in the current climate.
“We are very pleased to be involved at an early stage to demonstrate our commitment to the code of ethics, continuous improvement and a customer centric culture.”
Keith Richards, chief membership officer of the Society of Mortgage Professionals, said: “It is great to see so many organisations across the mortgage sector acknowledging the importance of the promotion of professional mortgage advice and applying to become an associate firm of the society.”
Shekina is the deputy editor at Mortgage Solutions and commercial editor at Mortgage Solutions and Specialist Lending Solutions. She has nearly eight years of experience in the B2B publishing market, having previously covered the hospitality, retail, pet, accounting and jewellery sectors.
Shekina has worked for Mortgage Solutions and Specialist Lending Solutions for almost five years. Here, she covers the market’s breaking news stories, engages with professionals in the sector, and oversees any commercially agreed content in partnership with mortgage-related companies.
This includes presenting webinars and hosting roundtable discussions on developing themes in the mortgage sector.
She is an NCTJ-trained journalist and was nominated for the Headline Money Awards Mortgage Journalist of the Year in 2021.
In her spare time, Shekina likes to read, travel, listen to music and socialise with friends.
She currently reports on current events in the mortgage market and liaises with financial clients to produce sponsored content.
Follow her on Twitter at @ShekinaMS
