This month, we are sitting down with Darrell Walker (pictured), group sales director at Chetwood Bank.
How did you get into the mortgage industry?
As a youngster, all I wanted to do was be a footballer; I used to eat, sleep and breathe the game, and was good enough to play to a decent standard. My mum and dad were always supportive but made sure I knew the importance of having a good, solid career to fall back on in case the football didn’t work out.
Fortunately, I’ve always had a natural talent for numbers – maths was definitely my strong suit at school – and I knew early on that I wanted to work in banking. I became the youngest bank manager in the UK at the time, although I’ll admit, it was the school branch of Midland Bank, and I was just 14. Still, not a bad start.
So, after school, instead of accepting a football apprenticeship, I joined National Westminster Bank and went into its management development programme. It was one of those rotational schemes where you experience a bit of everything. It was a great grounding in how a bank truly operates. At one point, I moved into a service centre role, and honestly, I hated it. That was a pivotal moment for me. It brought home that my passion lies in being out in the field, engaging with people, and building relationships.
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That realisation ultimately shaped my career path. I was fortunate to be part of the original pilot team that built the Barclays Intermediary proposition back in 2000, which was a fantastic experience. From there, I had roles at Bank of Ireland, Lloyd and Legal & General, OSB Group and Shawbrook, before finally joining Chetwood Bank in 2022. It’s been quite the journey.
What has been the biggest learning over your career?
The biggest thing I’ve learned is that you’re only ever as good as the people around you. No matter how capable you think you are, success is always a team effort. Surrounding yourself with great people is absolutely critical, and it’s something that we have achieved at Chetwood Bank while building out the ModaMortgages and CHL Mortgages offerings.
I’ve also learned not to fear mistakes. You’re always going to get things wrong at some point – it’s inevitable. What matters is how you respond. Learning from those missteps is what shapes you into a stronger leader over time.
One of my favourite quotes is from the basketball player Michael Jordan: “I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” That really resonates with me. It’s about resilience and growth.
And finally, I can’t emphasise enough the importance of creating a strong, positive culture. The right environment makes all the difference – not just for performance, but for people’s wellbeing. At the heart of it, I believe in being humble, honest, and treating people like human beings.
What have been the biggest changes to the mortgage market and have they been positive?
The mortgage market has undergone significant changes over the last 20 years. These changes have largely been driven by regulations introduced following the 2008 credit crunch, developments in new technology and shifting customer needs, all of which have been very interesting to observe. The pace of change has been relentless, but also incredibly exciting.
One thing I’ve always admired about this industry is its resilience. There are always challenges, but what sets the mortgage market apart is how well it comes together to respond. We’re a collaborative industry, and we’re good at spotting the opportunity within the challenge. That mindset is what drives innovation and progress.
Whether it’s improving how we serve brokers and customers or rethinking traditional processes, the positive change has been significant, and I think we’re better for it.
How is the integration going and does the firm have further M&A appetite?
It’s been just over a year since CHL Mortgages for Intermediaries became part of the Chetwood Bank family, and we’re really pleased with how things are going. We’ve taken the best bits from CHL Mortgages for Intermediaries and ModaMortgages to enhance our overall proposition, and I think brokers can see the value that we offer as a double lender.
A key milestone has been the recent combination of our sales team. This move has allowed us to create more opportunities for brokers by offering a broader, more flexible approach. Whether a broker is dealing with a straightforward, vanilla case or something more complex that needs a tailored solution, we now have both ends of the spectrum covered. That’s a real win for the intermediary market.
As for M&A, we’re always looking for opportunities to expand and do things differently. We’re not in the business of doing things for the sake of it, but if there’s a way to improve our offering to brokers and borrowers, then we’ll go for it.
What are the strategic priorities for CHL Mortgages for Intermediaries?
CHL is a great example of a heritage lender with specialist lending in its DNA. It brings real depth to our offering and helps us provide a more rounded proposition to the intermediary market.
One of our key priorities right now is raising awareness. CHL has been around for so long that, in some ways, it risks being taken for granted. However, the reality is that it has a fantastic proposition, including enhanced criteria, manual underwriting, and a strong track record of supporting complex cases.
So, our focus is on putting CHL back in the spotlight, reminding brokers of what it can do, and really showcasing its strengths.
What has the reception for ModaMortgages been like so far?
It’s been a cracking start, to be honest. The reception has been really positive and incredibly welcoming. What’s stood out is how much interest there’s been in not only our products, but in the story behind ModaMortgages and what we’re trying to build as well.
We’re all about doing the simple things well, and that’s really resonated with brokers. When I’m at the various mortgage events that we go to across the country, the feedback is often about how transparent and open we are, and that we’re easy to engage with and contact. That’s something I’m really proud of, and something we’ll continue to prioritise.
Overall, though, we’re just excited to see where the journey takes us. We’re always looking for new opportunities – different asset classes, new criteria, etc. – but we want to walk before we can run.
What is the headcount of the firm?
313.
Where do you think the biggest opportunities and challenges are in the coming year?
There are always challenges in the market, but that’s nothing new. And with every challenge comes an opportunity, which is a central pillar of the Chetwood Bank ethos.
One of the most interesting trends we’re seeing is the shift in broker behaviour. More and more, we’re talking to brokers who’ve traditionally focused on the first charge residential mortgage space, and they’re now exploring specialist lending more. This has been driven by the Bank of England’s rate-hiking cycle, and it’s exciting to see a wider range of brokers discovering where lenders like us can really add value.
With this in mind, market conditions will no doubt remain challenging in some areas, so I think the real opportunity lies in educating brokers and helping them expand their toolkit in the specialist finance sector.
What would you want the mortgage industry to know about Chetwood Bank and its associated brands?
That our ambition is to be recognised as one of the UK’s leading digital challenger banks – and we’re well on the way. By building two brands that offer their own unique qualities, it feels like we’ve created a product and lender offering that genuinely works for brokers and their clients.
Ultimately, we want to be one of the first names that comes to mind when a broker has a case to place, whether it’s straightforward or more complex. That’s what we’re building, and that’s what we want the industry to know us for.
