Which locations and how many advisers and broker firms do you cover in your role at Tab?
I cover the city of London and Essex and look after around 200 brokerages.
What personal talent/skill is most valuable in doing your job?
Building trust with brokers.
What personal talent/skill would you most like to improve on?
Public speaking in front of large groups.
Are your clients ready for the first Making Tax Digital reporting deadline?
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What’s the hardest part of your job?
Managing my diary efficiently, in terms of booking meetings and managing my pipeline. If you’re doing commercial mortgages at bridging speed, you need top-flight diary skills.
What do you love most about your job?
That every day is different and every deal is different – so much variety in a flexible specialist lender like Tab.
Are there any misconceptions about your job/ role?
One popular misconception is that we spend all day at events and taking brokers out for lunch. If only. While relationship-building is important, most of the job involves analysing opportunities, finding solutions for complex cases and keeping deals progressing under tight deadlines. That’s the reality of arranging commercial mortgages at bridging speed.
What’s the best bit of career-related advice you’ve been given? Who gave it to you?
A previous sales manager once told me to always leave people better off after every interaction. Whether you can do the deal or not, if you’ve provided value and acted with integrity, opportunities tend to come back around.
What has been the biggest lesson you’ve learned in your career?
Don’t rush things and have a bit more patience.
How do you keep up to date with developments in the market?
I stay informed by regularly reviewing industry news – mainly Specialist Lending Solutions, obviously – and market reports. I also place a lot of value on conversations with brokers and other BDMs in the industry, as they provide real-time insight into emerging trends and challenges across the market.
What is the most quirky/unique property deal you’ve been involved in?
I completed a 24-month bridge on a bingo hall. We lent to a charity, and the tenant held religious services. The transaction was pretty simple, but we had a quirky asset and a quirky borrower.
Tell us about your trickiest case – what happened and how did you resolve the problem(s)?
We lent to a Belgian fund, where we had multiple investors, and our borrower owned 1% of the fund. We had to get all the docs translated, and we also couldn’t get a personal guarantee.
What was your motivation for choosing this career?
I was motivated by the clear link between performance and impact. In my role, I can see the direct results of my work through deals completed, relationships built, and business growth, which I find highly rewarding.
If you could do any other job in the property sector, what would it be and why?
I’d probably go for marketing or events. My first job was in event management and it’s something I’ve always enjoyed. I loved the creativity involved, the pressure of delivering events under tight deadlines and creating incredible experiences for the clients and guests.
What did you want to be growing up?
While I have always wanted to be successful, I never had a particular job in mind.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
In five years, I’d like to have developed into a more senior position at Tab, playing a key part in growing business relationships and bringing momentum to lending. I also think the industry will continue to move quickly, so staying adaptable and well-connected will be important.
If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
Teleportation – being able to travel anywhere in the world immediately.
What do you do to unwind?
I do gym classes, including boxing. It’s a great way to switch off and de-stress after work.
What is your greatest skill(s), either work- or non-work-related?
One of my key strengths is being able to get on with people from all walks of life. I’m naturally quite adaptable, so I can build rapport quickly and find a way to connect with most people, even if we’re talking commercial mortgages.
And finally, what’s the strangest question you’ve ever been asked?
“If you found out your entire life had been a TV show, what would you do?”
