Know Your BDM: David Wheatley, Foundation Home Loans

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  • 29/04/2021
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Know Your BDM: David Wheatley, Foundation Home Loans
This week, Specialist Lending Solutions is speaking with David Wheatley, regional account manager – London, at Foundation Home Loans

 

What locations and how many advisers and broker firms do you cover in your role? 

I look after the London postcodes EC and WC which encompasses around 522 brokers at the moment. 

  

How have you changed the way you establish and maintain a good relationship with brokers in the pandemic? 

We have adapted with the restrictions in place and have used various video conferencing platforms to meet with our brokers which is allowing a greater turnout.  

This coupled with years of experience building relationships over the phones within our internal team has taught me many of the skills I am still able to utilise 

  

What personal talent/skill is most valuable in doing your job? 

Without doubt, being organised 

I think being able to know which cases take priority for brokers allows me to focus on getting the correct results when needed.  

This coupled with prioritising policy or product updates to brokers who will be able to benefit means we can be more efficient with their time.  

  

What personal talent/skill would you most like to improve on? 

My patience. I like things to do be done quickly and efficiently and need to remember that service level agreements appear in most organisations. 

  

Where would you rather be stuck, in bumper-to-bumper traffic or back-to-back Zoom calls?  

Back-to-back Zoom calls as usually the content is engaging. 

  

What’s the best bit of career-related advice you’ve ever been given? 

Years ago, I was told there is no such thing as luck and that everything happens due to the work that is put into any situation. 

  

What is the most quirky/unique property deal you’ve been involved in? 

To date, it’s been an incorporation of 22 properties that completed on the same day. 

  

What has been your lockdown coping strategy? 

I have two small children who are a very good distraction. Lockdown has meant I’ve been able spend invaluable time with them that may have been more difficult otherwise. This coupled with regular exercise. 

  

If you were head of the FCA for the day, what would you change about regulation in the mortgage industry? 

Very good question – I would speak to the people across the industry to see what the most significant obstacles to trade would be and try to work a way around this while ensuring people were protected. 

  

What was your motivation for choosing business development as a career? 

While working for a mainstream lender I looked at becoming an underwriter, however the role I originally looked at was no longer available.  

Business development was an option that was offered which I was unaware existed due to prior ignorance. I think it encompasses a wide range of skills and I love the sales buzz you get from seeing an enquiry go to completion. 

  

If you could do any other job in the property sector, what would it be and why? 

I would love to have my own portfolio of properties and be able to watch everything develop. But in all honesty I would still carry on as BDM as I love the role. 

  

What did you want to be growing up? 

Growing up I wanted to be a public servant – either a police officer or in the military. 

  

What’s your favourite face mask design/pattern to wear? 

I have a bright yellow face mask which is both my favourite colour and coincidentally matches Foundation Home Loans’ branding. 

  

And finally, what’s the strangest question you’ve ever been asked? 

There have been numerous strange questions but none jump to mind. 

 

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