Know Your BDM: Shahed Popat, Roma Finance

Which locations and how many advisers and broker firms do you cover in your role at Roma Finance?

London and the South East. One day I could be taking the train into Mayfair, and the next I’ll be driving down to Kent or Sussex. With such a large patch, I have access to hundreds of advisers.

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

Listening. I’m often told that a BDM loves to talk, which is certainly true, but I believe that an ability to actively listen to brokers and partners makes just as much of a positive impact on my job role.

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

Positive thinking. In today’s world where we’re surrounded by doom and gloom, it’s easy to get sucked into a pessimistic mindset – maybe even more so if you’re a Pisces! I believe, therefore, that it’s important to work on the skill of maintaining an optimistic outlook on life. Nowadays, we have numerous resources to help boost mental health, and I regularly use apps, self-help books and exercise. I also work with a lovely bunch of people that help elevate my mood and keep an upbeat perspective.

What’s the hardest part of your job?

The hardest part is always advising that a deal doesn’t fit. I always aim to provide a reason why the enquiry is unfavourable and what could potentially swing it the other way, either for the current case or a similar one in future.

What do you love most about your job?

The best part of the job for me is knowing that, every day, I’m asked to consider a case that is different from the last one. Although deals can be similar, I look at each case individually by going through all the details to understand the motivations of the borrower and the mechanics of the project. I also enjoy relaying the details of the case to my excellent underwriting team and together seeing a clear path to redemption of the loan.

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

“Work smart, not hard”. My first boss in specialist finance told me this right from the start and it’s stuck with me ever since. He doesn’t mean it in the literal sense that one shouldn’t work hard; he means that to be more effective you should focus on what is proving successful and, most importantly, what the broker wants from you. This comes back to the skill of listening, where you understand your customer’s needs and spend more time highlighting what you can offer to meet them.

How do you keep up to date with developments in the market?

I subscribe to industry magazines and keep a close eye on LinkedIn, so they provide me with up-to-date news on the current market. However, speaking with brokers and my colleagues is the most invaluable source of information to know what is trending and how we compare with other lenders.

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

The quirkiest property I have dealt with was a multifaceted hotel and country club. The club was used primarily as a ‘stay and play’ driving range, wedding venue and gym/spa. However, the site also had a 10-bed house of multiple occupation (HMO), a disused golf course and several additional acres of land that could be used for mining.

Tell us about your trickiest case – what happened and how did you resolve the problem(s)?

The trickiest case I encountered was also the quickest – completed in five working days, with a bank holiday in between. We stepped in after the borrower had been let down by another lender, using title insurance and an automated valuation model (AVM) to full effect, and even met the borrower onsite in that time. I was on the phone day and night with all parties; I was heading off on holiday on the day of completion and was even talking to the broker and borrower right before going through airport security.

What was your motivation for choosing this career?

I’ve held an interest in the property market since childhood as my father was a landlord. One of his tenants, who he had to evict for not paying the rent, went on to become a famous rapper and producer! My dad and I have completed a few refurbishment projects together, and he has built a house from the ground up, so I believe that I can relate to a borrower’s motivations when they look to carry out a similar project.

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

I would be a property developer. I have some previous experience and, as I alluded to before, every case or project is a fresh and enjoyable challenge. It would be hugely rewarding to be right at the heart of a development, watching and managing, as you see a property come to life.

What did you want to be growing up?

Footballer. Very cliché, but it’s the truth – sadly, my knees are made of glass and my dream of being the next Ian Rush was effectively ended as a teenager after surgery on both knees.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

Teleportation. Half of my family (which is not small) have moved to Australia, and I would love to spend time with them again. Reducing a 24-hour plane journey to a simple click of the fingers would be ideal.

What is your strategy for tackling challenges?

Not avoiding them! Facing a challenge and being prepared for whatever may come is the best way to deal with it. Planning is essential, however, as we see with many property transactions, even the best laid plans can encounter hurdles, so the ability to adapt accordingly is also crucial.

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

Before I grew a beard, someone once asked me if I was the tennis player Andre Agassi. In a work setting, I was surprised when a property investor with over 100 assets in their portfolio asked me what a link-detached house was – you learn something new every day.