Which locations and how many advisers and broker firms do you cover in your role at Recognise Bank?
I cover the whole of the UK. There are no restrictions to where I can work on a deal, and that flexibility is great, as it means there are brokers and businesses across the entirety of the UK that I’m able to interact with on a daily basis. I joined Recognise Bank in July 2023, and I’ve enjoyed the breadth and depth of deals I’ve been fortunate enough to work on in that time, many of them unique in their own ways and a reflection of where a bespoke approach truly makes the difference for SMEs and property developers.
In terms of numbers, I don’t view it so much as a tally of brokers and advisers but more of a network that is strengthened, one relationship at a time. I want anyone in my network to know they can pick up the phone and have an honest conversation. Having spent some time on the broker side of the market, the relationships are what brought me back to lending. Ensuring that my relationships are well-nurtured makes the job a lot smoother and it’s that ease is often what brokers come back for, and it is something the bank actively supports in how we work day to day.
What personal talent or skill is most valuable in doing your job?
Communication, but not in the ‘good at talking’ sense. The part that matters most for me is listening and then showing the broker that you have actually heard them.
So often, the first call tells you everything you need to know if you slow down enough to take it in. Why does the client need the funds? What is driving the time pressure? What else is going on in the background, and where do they need to end up after this deal completes?
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When you take that on board early, you can make better decisions and you can also explain those options clearly, which I think brokers value because it then helps them manage their clients properly. Having the space and support to take that broader view is a big part of what makes the role work for me.
What personal talent or skill would you most like to improve on?
My IT skills. I am not embarrassed to say it, because the pace of change is real, and it is only going one way.
I guess the aim is not to become a tech expert, but to use the tools well enough that they just fade into the background and let the real work, the conversations and the judgement, take centre stage. That balance is encouraged, rather than forced, which makes it much easier to focus on doing the job well.
What is the hardest part of your job?
A case might look simple on paper, but then you have a valuation question, a legal point, a client call, and a broker who needs an answer because their client is up against a deadline, and all of that is happening while another deal is also reaching a critical moment.
That is the nature of specialist lending, and it is why, like I said earlier, clear communication matters so much. If you do not keep people in the loop, they start filling in the gaps themselves, and that can present its own challenges, but working in a team where people share information and take responsibility makes those moments far more manageable.
What do you love most about your job?
The daily interaction with people, and the fact that the work is always about real plans.
There is a reason behind every deal, and once you start talking to brokers and clients you see how interconnected those reasons are. Property, business, family, timing, tax, cash flow, a sudden opportunity, a sudden problem – it all sits together in a way that is very recognisable when you work with SMEs.
What is the best piece of career-related advice you have ever been given? Who gave it to you?
“Treat people the way you would like to be treated.” It is not something that was handed to me as formal advice, but it is how I operate, and it is the advice I pass on when people ask. This industry is smaller than people think.
If you are open, fair and consistent, it comes back to you, not in a vague way, but in the practical sense that people call you again, because they trust you and know what they are getting. That mindset is reflected internally as well, which makes a huge difference to how people work together.
What is the most quirky or unique property deal you have been involved in?
An old ceramics factory with land, where the client was applying for residential planning approval.
It stood out because it was not the sort of asset you see every day, and because it reminded me how often property cases are really about what comes next, not what is sitting there right now. A broker can bring you a building, but they are also bringing you the plan, and the plan is often where the real conversation begins.
Tell us about your trickiest case. What happened and how did you resolve the problems?
A commercial property refinance that was running alongside a merger and acquisition for the owner-occupier.
The timing had to line up with a second lender financing the acquisition, there were several legal agreements in play, and there was a non-disclosure agreement as well, which always adds a layer. It was one of those cases where you cannot just push on one part and hope the rest follows, because everything is linked.
What made it work was close coordination. We worked carefully with the broker, the client, and the legal teams for all parties, keeping everyone aligned on what needed to happen and when. When there are several stakeholders, small delays can have a big effect, so keeping the communication consistent was crucial.
What was your motivation for choosing this career?
I did not have a grand plan.
When I was 17, in the middle of my A-levels, I saw a job in a bank advertised while I was in the local job centre with a school friend who was looking for a Saturday job. I applied, and that was that.
Many years later, when I was thinking about a change after voluntary redundancy, I realised finance had never really left me. It sounds simple, but it felt like it was in my DNA, and once I clocked that, it was obvious that I had ended up in the right place.
Finally, what do you think brokers value most about working with Recognise Bank?
Clarity and access. Brokers want to know where they stand, they want to understand how a decision has been reached, and they want to be able to speak to people who can actually move a case forward. They do not want to be passed around, and they do not want vague answers, because their clients do not have time for that.
It also helps that we are building a bank where people have real responsibility, and where roles naturally grow as the business grows. Teams are close to the credit process, and people are encouraged to shape how decisions are made and explained, rather than simply following a script. When staff are trusted to think and act, it shows up in the broker experience, because the service feels consistent, and brokers can build relationships that last, rather than starting from scratch every time.
