News
Rowntree departs Paragon Bank; Sedgwick takes over as MD of mortgages
Louise Sedgwick has become the managing director of mortgage at Paragon Bank, taking over from Richard Rowntree, who announced his departure.
Rowntree will move on to a new role in the financial services industry that is yet to be announced.
He has worked for Paragon Bank since 2020, when he succeeded John Heron, who was retiring. Prior to this, he was the managing director of UK mortgages at the Bank of Ireland for more than three years. Rowntree has also held several roles at Santander, Lloyds and HBOS.
Rowntree said: “I’d like to thank the whole Paragon team for their support and friendship since I joined in 2020. I’m immensely proud of what we’ve achieved together and wish everyone well for the future.”
Sedgwick has been with Paragon since April 2023, when she was appointed mortgages commercial director. In this role, she has overseen the restructuring of the mortgages sales function and product offering and enhanced its focus on networks and clubs.
She joined from Hampshire Trust Bank, where she was managing director for specialist mortgages and, prior to this, held roles at Vida, Leeds Building Society, and Bradford and Bingley.
Introducing the Green Living Reward
Your clients can now get up to £2,000 cashback for making energy-efficient home
Sponsored by Halifax Intermediaries
Russell Anderson, who is currently the customer retention and partnerships director, will assume Sedgwick’s former role as commercial director and take over her responsibilities.
Lisa Steele, head of mortgage underwriting, will be promoted to mortgage lending director.
Sedgwick (pictured) said: “I’m excited to get started in this new role and am proud to be leading Paragon’s mortgages division into what will be its 30th year in the buy-to-let market. Under Richard, and John Heron before him, Paragon has developed into the leading specialist buy-to-let lender in the market, enjoying an excellent reputation and boasting one of the best teams in the business. I look forward to building on their fantastic work.”
She added: “We are entering an exciting phase of our development with the imminent launch of our new, bespoke mortgage origination platform, with further digitalisation programmes also in the roadmap. With the buy-to-let market increasingly driven by portfolio landlords, we are well-placed to benefit from market growth.”
Nigel Terrington, Paragon Banking Group’s chief executive, added: “We are delighted that Louisa is stepping up to the mortgages managing director role. Her extensive experience and esteemed reputation in the mortgage sector, coupled with her dynamic leadership and strategic vision, make her the ideal candidate to steer Paragon towards our next stage of development and success.”
He added: “Richard leaves with our thanks and gratitude. He has made a huge impact at Paragon over the last five years, not only in driving forward our Mortgages digitalisation programme and the broader growth in new lending, but also for his work in social mobility through initiatives such as Progress Together. We wish him well for the future.”