The two have combined experience of 50 years in financial services and will manage brokers and firms within the Cornerstone Network, as well as offering support and opportunities.
Jonathan will be the business development director, while Andrew will be the business development manager (BDM).
Jonathan has nearly 30 years of experience, including almost 15 years at Nationwide, where he started as a mortgage consultant then worked his way up to regional manager, spending five years at Connells Group as area sales manager and four years at LSL Property Services, where he was regional sales director.
Andrew spent three-and-a-half years at RBS as a mortgage and protection adviser and was a national account manager at TMG Mortgage Network. He has also worked in the debt and housing sectors.
Brokers in the Needham Financial community will be supported by Cornerstone Network’s technology, training and support to build value in their businesses.
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Creating a legacy
The brothers from Yorkshire were inspired to set up the community after the sudden loss of their father last year. They decided to create something in his memory that would also provide a legacy for future generations.
Jonathan (pictured, left) said: “It makes you realise how fragile life is. I started questioning why I was doing what I was doing professionally. I recognised that all I’ve ever done throughout my whole career is build things – very successfully – for other people, but never anything of my own.
“Andrew had a similar thought process, and we concluded that we needed to set something up ourselves.”
He added: “Financial services is a very serious business and we have to take our responsibility seriously.
“But I also tune into this whole concept of, ‘Why do we do what we do?’, and for us, it’s all about family.”
Jonathan said the brothers decided to partner with Cornerstone Finance Group because it shared values with the firm.
He said: “The relationships I’ve established over the years and the trust, loyalty and respect I’ve been able to build with brokers and firms has come from my belief that you need somebody at your side to provide you with the right level of support. That could be with lead generation, marketing, recruitment, business growth, developing multiple income streams or even working towards an exit.
“There’s a lot of talk within the industry from the regulators about treating customers fairly, but you rarely hear talk about treating brokers fairly. That’s something that Andrew and I really want to champion.
“Within half an hour of us talking to the Cornerstone leadership team, it was apparent that there was a real synergy between us all. This partnership brings strength and stability and means that we are building Needham Financial on a solid foundation. That had to be priority one, not just for us but for the brokers.
“This is about creating something that has longevity and will stand the test of time.”
Andrew (pictured, right) added: “It feels as if we are standing on the shoulders of giants.”
Haydn Thomas, CEO of Cornerstone Finance Group, said: “This is a great signing for Cornerstone. Jonathan and Andrew are highly experienced and hugely respected in the mortgage industry. They are very well-connected across Yorkshire and beyond.
“The Cornerstone Network is still less than three years old, and already we’re at 185 advisers. Having Jonathan and Andrew as part of the group is going to help us grow at an accelerated rate and broaden our reach geographically.
“Our aim now is to bring more ambitious advisers on board whilst supporting all of our advisers to improve income and product penetration.
“Bringing Needham Financial into the Cornerstone family is a key part of our goal to establish ourselves as the most trusted network in the mortgage and protection advisory market.”
