At its annual dinner last night, IMLA chair Jeremy Duncombe (pictured) said that the trade body had held its first event earlier this year, a free strategic conference aimed at business principles.
Duncombe said that the event covered the green agenda, lender pricing models, regulation and the buy-to-let market.
He said that IMLA would host this event again next year, but would also deliver an event for new starters in the industry for both broker and lender staff.
Duncombe said that this would help them understand key topics to help their development and worked well with the working in mortgage group launched by Association of Mortgage Intermediaries (AMI) to attract more diverse talent into the industry.
‘An amazing industry which works together’
He continued: “A massive congratulations for surviving one of the most stressful years I think you can imagine. The next 12 months will bring different challenges for all of us.
“For lenders that will be increased competition and reducing margins, for brokers [it will be] a smaller purchase market leading to a bigger focus on existing customer strategies, remortgages and product transfer.”
He continued: “But whatever the market, the government or the wider world throws at us, one thing I can predict is that you will rise to this challenge and so it’s an amazing industry, which works together like no other I’ve ever seen.”
Duncombe also praised IMLA’s chief executive Kate Davies along with this year’s management committee, which includes Kevin Purvey, Richard Beardshaw, Adrian Moloney, Louisa Sedgwick, Tracy Simpson, Craig McKinlay and Steve Seal.
“Kate and the management committee do a brilliant job on your behalf representing the intermediary mortgage market and our views, lobbying regulators and policy makers and working closely with other trade and industry bodies, so thanks to all of you.”
He also commended Purvey who was stepping down from the management committee after 10 years with the trade body.
Duncombe added that one of the “turning points” for the industry was the way it had come together to support diversity and inclusion.
He pointed to the work done by AMI, including number of working groups and the working in mortgages website which were elevating diversity and inclusion.
Duncombe said that he hoped that work on diversity and inclusion “continues to evolve our industry for the better”.
The event took place at The Marriott Grosvenor in London last night, with Jon Sopel as guest speaker and £3,944 raised for Teenage Cancer Trust.
