What does your day-to-day role entail?
I am involved in various areas, but my focal point is managing relationships with larger key accounts, networks and clubs.
This covers many firms and I’m fortunate to have a fantastic team who lead on day-to-day contact, maintaining conversations, listening to feedback and acting on it to constantly improve relationships with intermediaries and their experience of working with Barclays.
Borrowers still want to talk to an expert, but they also want to use technology to help make a more informed decision
I also look after our new-build proposition, working closely with our corporate team, developers and intermediary partners. This proposition has been transformed in recent years and Barclays has become a major lender in this area.
Our green approach has been key — we have completed over 9,000 green mortgages and we remain committed to delivering new-build and energy-efficient solutions for potential buyers, homeowners and landlords.
Finally, I manage teams based in Liverpool and Glasgow who offer unparalleled levels of support to our regional BDM teams when they are on the road or in meetings, helping to resolve queries and provide the answers that matter for our intermediary partners.
As an industry we need to continue evolving to make the homebuying journey as simple and as straightforward as possible
Every day brings new conversations, challenges and outcomes. The fact that no two days are the same is what I enjoy most about my role.
What are Barclays’ priorities in the mortgage sector for the next 12 months?
To offer a competitive, flexible, innovative range of products and make it even easier for our intermediary partners to do business with us, ensuring all policy changes and new processes are designed to streamline the mortgage journey.
We will also be working even more closely with the government, representative bodies such as the Home Builders Federation, external stakeholders, tech providers and a range of strategic alliances to support our customers and deliver solutions that meet their needs in the most responsible manner.
What has been the biggest challenge in your role to date?
Wow, that’s a big question. We’ve all had to learn to expect the unexpected.
Who’d have predicted a pandemic, a war in Ukraine or the current economic and political uncertainty?
Every day brings new conversations, challenges and outcomes
One of the greatest challenges facing our industry is how we balance offering the right products with maintaining good service in an uncertain commercial landscape.
Do you have a favourite work memory?
It’s of the first time I visited our teams offshore. This offered a unique opportunity to meet amazing people, experience different work environments and soak up different cultures. It gave me a whole new perspective.
Is there anything you would change about the mortgage industry?
There are already great plans and changes under way, such as greater diversity and inclusion, tech enhancements, more people being able to get on the property ladder, and the UK’s housing stock becoming more energy efficient.
One of the greatest challenges is how we balance offering the right products with maintaining good service in an uncertain commercial landscape
It’s more of a transformation needed than a wholesale change. For example, borrowers still want to talk to an expert, in this case a mortgage adviser, but they also want to use technology to help make a more informed decision.
That said, there’s always room for improvement and as an industry we need to continue evolving to make the homebuying journey as simple and as straightforward as possible, while ensuring the customer is protected and getting access to the best advice.
If you could work in any other field, what would it be?
Anything to do with sport.
I’ve played a multitude of sports in my time, some more successfully than others.
We remain committed to delivering new-build and energy-efficient solutions for potential buyers
Unfortunately, these took a toll on my knees so I’m now more of an avid spectator and sports taxi, ferrying my kids to their own array of sporting activities. Both are keen swimmers so we’re currently up at 4.45am most mornings, getting them to the pool.
What is the best advice you have received?
Don’t be a West Ham fan; you will suffer years of disappointment. I didn’t take the advice and they were right, but sadly this is the type of decision you can never turn your back on. Come on you Irons.
Company profile
Year founded: 1690
Website: barclays.co.uk/intermediaries
Barclays is a British universal bank.
We are diversified by business, by different types of customer and client, and by geography.
Our businesses include consumer banking and payments operations around the world, as well as a top-tier, full-service, global corporate and investment bank, all of which are supported by our service company, which provides technology, operations and functional services across the group.
This article featured in the November 2022 edition of MS.
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