6 years as Sales Director at Pepper Money, previously was Head of Intermediary Distribution at Santander.

www.pepper.money/

As Head of Corporate Accounts at Shawbrook Retail Mortgages, Louise leads the strategic partnerships across both of the bank’s mortgage brands — The Mortgage Lender and Bluestone Mortgages. With a focus on delivering value to key networks and mortgage clubs, she is responsible for cultivating and managing strategic relationships that drive growth and long-term collaboration

www.shawbrook.co.uk/

Rupinder is a highly experienced, multi-award winning sales and training professional with over 25 years of sales and management experience within Financial Services and Insurance Industry. 

She has worked at MetLife for 14 years and is currently working at Head of Strategic Accounts and Implementation. 

She is a key ambassador for Women In Sales and is part of the leadership team for MetLifes Women’s Business Network connecting women across the globe and supporting them in their career journey.

www.metlife.co.uk/

Rob Barnard has over 30 years of knowledge and experience navigating successfully through the twists and turns of the UK Mortgage market. Rob has developed and executed sales and marketing strategies throughout his career to drive growth and maximise retention. In his role as Director of Intermediary Relationships, Rob is responsible for nurturing and developing key broker and distribution partners for Pepper Money. Rob is passionate about mortgages but more importantly the people he works with within the industry. As a result, he is the host of The Specialist Podcast. A platform created to provide established and upcoming stars in the industry an opportunity to discuss everything mortgages and beyond.

www.pepper.money/

With over 25-years’ worth of experience in communications, Lee has worked for a wide variety of different organizations from large lenders, funders and advice firms to membership bodies and PR agencies.  Managing change, building stakeholder relationships, and helping brands develop robust communication functions is part of her core skill set as is encouraging teams to build and grow inclusive supportive environments.

www.equityreleasecouncil.com/

Claire began her career as a mortgage advisor developing a strong foundation in client focused advice. Her broad experience across the industry equipped her with a deep understanding of both advisor and customer needs, and is well regarded for her ability to build lasting relationships and deliver results.
Claires passion for supporting the intermediary market and extensive industry knowledge make her a trusted and respected partner in the protection sector.

www.life.hsbc.co.uk

intermediaries.hsbc.co.uk/

Andrew has been with Yorkshire Building Society Group for 11 years, spending the last 7 years as part of the Accord brand serving the intermediary channel, in his current role as part of the senior leadership team he is responsible for maintaining relationships with key lending partners across the distribution landscape and playing an active role in propositional development. Prior to joining Accord he spent 4 years covering a number of roles in the retail network.

www.accordmortgages.com/

As Barclays Head of Channel Engagement, I’ve led a strategic overhaul of our intermediary marketing, transforming how we connect with brokers and clients. By focusing on clarity, relevance, and value, I’ve driven measurable gains in brand awareness, sentiment, and sales.
Outside work, I combine purpose with challenge, such as summiting Kilimanjaro, reaching Everest Base Camp, and trekking the Great Wall of China, raising thousands for children’s charities along the way.
I recently earned an MSc in Business and Strategic Leadership from Cranfield University, selected as one of 20 future leaders within Barclays for this intensive programme.
Looking ahead, I’m passionate about elevating marketing from communication to true connection, leading with both vision and heart.

www.barclays.co.uk/

Martese has been in the industry for over 27 years and is passionate about mortgages! Martese is the Director of Mortgage Distribution for Leeds Building Society where she has worked for nearly 8 years. She has previously held positions at NatWest Intermediary Solutions and Birmingham Midshires.

www.leedsbuildingsociety.co.uk/

Steve has over 30 years’ experience in financial services, having started out as a mortgage broker in the early 1990s. He was Head of Commercial Development with Sesame Bankhall Group for 8 years, prior to joining Hodge Lifetime as Business Development Director in 2016. Steve joined Fleet Mortgages as Distribution Director in 2019 and was promoted to Chief Commercial Officer in January 2021.

www.fleetmortgages.co.uk/

Michael Craig is the Managing Director of Brilliant Solutions, where he leads with a clear vision for innovation, operational excellence, and client success. With a strong background in strategic leadership and over two decades of experience across diverse sectors, Michael has played a pivotal role in shaping Brilliant Solutions into a respected name in business consultancy and problem-solving.

As MD, Michael is responsible for setting the company's strategic direction, building high-performing teams, and ensuring the consistent delivery of value-driven solutions to clients. His leadership style is marked by integrity, clarity, and a commitment to continuous improvement—qualities that have helped forge long-term partnerships and a reputation for reliability and results

brilliantsolutions.co.uk

Gemma founded Gemstone Mortgages in 2016, a seasoned mortgage advisor with a background in property and financial services spanning over 19 years. Driven by a desire to offer a more personal and supportive mortgage experience, Gemma established the firm to prioritise client needs and deliver tailored solutions. 

The company boasts an all-female team of dedicated professionals who are passionate about guiding clients through their mortgage journeys. 

Gemma is committed to championing women in the financial services industry, fostering a culture that empowers female professionals to excel and lead. This dedication is reflected in her teams' client-centric approach, emphasising honesty, transparency, and personalised support throughout the mortgage process.

gemstonemortgages.co.uk/

Penny is VP of Customer, Compliance & Culture at Habito, a UK-based digital mortgage brokerage. With over 20 years in the financial services sector, she has cultivated a career that blends operational leadership with a strong focus on customer experience and regulatory compliance.
At Habito, Penny plays a pivotal role in shaping the company's culture and ensuring that customer-centric practices are embedded across all operations.  Her leadership style is characterised by authenticity and a commitment to fostering inclusive, resilient teams.

www.habito.com/

I have worked in financial services for 20 years, all of which has been in the intermediary channel. I spent many years as a  BDM and moved to my current role as National Intermediary Distribution Manager with Leeds Building Society in 2022. I manage a team of fantastic BDMs across the North Region. I am passionate about supporting our intermediaries through next level service and products.

www.leedsbuildingsociety.co.uk/

I have been working in mortgage since 2004 and love helping people achieve their property goals. Over the years I have learnt to embrace complex cases, and love anything a bit quirky, particularly helping clients who have been told ‘no’ elsewhere. Doing this has helped me grow to a team of 8 advisers. Helping more and more people year on year. I also set up and run the Women in Mortgages Facebook group which is growing each day. 

In my personal life, you will find me sharing scary videos of my sons Parkour or enjoying epic music concerts with my daughter. A comedy gig with my husband, brunches with my sister or lazy Sundays at her parents. 

I love what I do and couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

www.mortgageadvicebureau.com/

Andrea Glasgow is the Sales Director for Specialist Mortgages & Bridging Finance at Hampshire Trust Bank (HTB). With over 19 years of experience in retail banking and specialist lending, she leads the sales team with a focus on accessibility, strong relationships, and tailored solutions. Known for her energy and openness, Andrea excels at building trusted partnerships with brokers and delivering clear communication on complex cases. A champion of collaboration and inclusive leadership, she actively contributes to industry events, shaping the future of specialist lending.

www.htb.co.uk/

Nicola has over 17 years of experience in financial services. At Aldermore, she leads strategic partnerships, focusing on bringing the company’s mission of “Backing More People to go for it in Life and Business” to life. Nicola is a passionate leader dedicated to ensuring positive outcomes for all. She has a proven track record of creating mutually beneficial relationships with key stakeholders across the industry and plays an integral role as Deputy Chair for IMLA.

Nicola is also deeply committed to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I). She has been recognized as a Change Maker and Elite Woman in the industry for her work leading on DEI and has recently become Chair of the Working in Mortgages – Shaping the Future initiative.

www.aldermore.co.uk/intermediaries/

Tony Hall is the Head of Business Development at Saffron for Intermediaries. With over 30 years in financial services, his career is anything but ordinary. He’s a transformation specialist, seeking out the ways to improve propositions and helping lenders launch (or relaunch)!  
Tony joined Saffron in 2020 as interim Head of Mortgage Sales, using his trademark proactive, service-led approach to quickly grow the sales team. Now, as Head of Business Development, he spearheads all of Saffron’s new business, from residential to buy to let to development finance. Alongside his busy day-to-day role, Tony serves on the board of the National Custom and Self Build Association (NaCSBA), championing custom and self-build homes for all. His deep industry knowledge and expertise have made him a key player in the Saffron team, helping clients and brokers navigate an ever more complex mortgage landscape.

www.saffronbs.co.uk/

L&C was established in 1999, and over the last 25 years has grown to become the UK’s number one online and fee-free mortgage broker. It currently employs over 450 advisers offering mortgage and protection advice to customers from over 90 lenders and 11 insurers.

Mark was appointed Chief Executive Officer of L&C in April 2024 and has over 20 years’ experience in the business, having started his career as a Mortgage and Protection Adviser in 2003.  In the interim he has built a detailed knowledge of all aspects of L&C’s market leading proposition, working across a wide range of roles including Estate Agency and New Build in addition to the core mortgage and protection offering.  

Mark became Mortgage & Protection Advice Director in 2019 before more recently taking up the position of Chief Operating Officer, playing a key role in shaping the direction and strategy of L&C overseeing the move to a hybrid working model.  

Mark is determined to develop L&C’s customer journey further to provide the very best customer experience whilst maintaining top quality advice with no broker fee charged to customers.  He’s also passionate about developing an inclusive and equitable culture for L&C colleagues and to make working at L&C a career not just a job. 

Outside work Mark likes to spend his downtime with family.  He is a sport enthusiast, especially football having been a semi-professional footballer and closely follows the ups and downs of Manchester United.

www.landc.co.uk

Victoria Hartley is Client Services Director at Square 1 Media. She made the move to PR after 25 years as a journalist which included 14 years as Group Editor for titles including Mortgage Solutions, Specialist Lending Solutions  and Your Mortgage heading up all editorial and events coverage for the titles since 2010. Her duties included hosting news video interviews and live events and managing the news reporting staff. Prior to that, roles included editorships of a  raft of titles including What Mortgage, Credit Today and Introducer Today and freelance work on national titles including Which Money and The Guardian.

www.square1media.co.uk

Rachel Lummis is the founder of Xpress Mortgages a mortgage brokerage based in Surrey.  Xpress is a small but lively office with an all female team of four. Rachel celebrates 20 years as  mortgage adviser this year and is also a proud board member of AMI, the association of mortgage intermediaries.

xpressmortgages.co.uk/

Having worked in the mortgage industry for over 20 years, I've been with Virgin Money since 2018 - joining as a National Account Manager and now as Head of National Accounts. Prior to Virgin Money I worked in the Business Development and National Account teams at Lloyds Banking Group

uk.virginmoney.com/

Natalie McNamara, Head of Network Distribution and Growth at Loans Warehouse, has quickly built a strong reputation in the mortgage and specialist lending industry, despite being just three years into her financial services career. She is passionate about championing innovation and collaboration across the sector and fostering meaningful relationships with both lenders and brokers.

Her dedication and impact were recently recognised when she was named one of the 2025 Best Women Mortgage Leaders in the UK Elite Women List, as well as winning Broker BDM of the Year at the 2024 National Mortgage Awards - Second Charge. Natalie is incredibly proud to be part of the judging panel for WRA25, celebrating the outstanding achievements of women shaping the future of our industry.

www.loanswarehouse.co.uk/

Caroline has been in the industry for over 22 years and is passionate about all things mortgages.  Caroline is the Sales and Marketing Director  for United Trust Bank. She has previously held positions at Specialist lenders such as Pepper Money and Metro Bank.

www.utbank.co.uk/

Siobhan is a Corporate Account Manager at HSBC UK and has been working in financial services for 19 years. Siobhan was awarded with the Lender Business Development Manager of the Year at the 2021 British Mortgage Awards and most recently featured on the 2025 Best Women Mortgage Leaders in the UK Elite Women List and also recognised as a Changemaker at the 2024 British Mortgage Awards. 

Siobhan is the Co-Chair of Women in Banking & Finance (WIBF) in Northern Ireland and the Development Lead for WIBF UK, leading their UK Personal Excellence Programme. As the PEP Lead, she organises workshops with expert speakers which are tailored to various stages of women’s professional life, early career, mid-career, and senior leaders and the sessions are focused on personal development, people management, career development, personal brand and networking and conflict management. Recent workshops she has organised have covered important issues such as the gender pay gap, maximising mental performance and unconscious bias. 

Siobhan is extremely passionate about greater female representation in this sector and coaches and mentors women to help elevate their careers. Her educational background includes a Masters in Corporate Governance and is heavily involved in wider industry initiatives. She is passionate about preparing our workforce for the future and educating the younger generation on their careers.

intermediaries.hsbc.co.uk/

Kharla joined Countrywide in September 1998 after working at American Express for 8 years. Kharla started her career at Countrywide in conveyancing, moving to client relationship management and then moving in to operations for Asset Management and then Surveying, driving change through the opening of the Surveying National Operations Centre.  In her current role as Chief Operations Officer for Countrywide Surveying Services Kharla is responsible for overall operational excellence, Consumer sales,  risk governance, ISO accreditations and has been at the forefront of key client relationships for many years.  Over the last 2 years Kharla has also been appointed Deputy Chair of the Connells Groups ESG committee alongside her current role.

www.countrywide.co.uk/

Louise is an experienced product manager with over two decades of experience in financial services, predominantly in General Insurance. Louise oversees the proposition strategy for Atlanta Partnerships which includes Paymentshield’s suite of products, as well as the wider partnership businesses within the Atlanta Group.  
 
Paymentshield is one of the UK’s leading insurance providers, enabling financial advisers, rental platforms and other organisations to offer quality insurance to their customers. Working with some of the best-known insurers in the UK, Paymentshield offers a range of insurance and protection products for homeowners, tenants and landlords.
 
In her role, Louise works to optimise products and journeys to ensure the needs of both end customers and distribution partners are being met – whether that be mortgage advisers, rental businesses or automotive firms. She is also responsible for ensuring all products meet regulatory requirements.

www.paymentshield.co.uk/

Emma Roberts is Head of Intermediary Relationships at Connect for Intermediaries. Connect is a mortgage network with just over 300 members, as well as being a large mortgage brokerage with a particular strength in the specialist markets and a packaging arm too, not only for Connect members but for the wider broker population. This giving Connect a strong and fairly unique proposition. 

Emma has enjoyed a fast paced and successful career in the specialist lending market for over 12 years, before that she held roles at Santander and Enterprise Rent a Car. She is now responsible for leading the Relationship team at Connect, making sure the network members are happy and supported, along with working along side the team to ensure that Connect is viewed as a Network of choice for both new and established mortgage advisers. 

Emma joined Connect in May 2020 as a Relationship Manager. Since then Emma has been instrumental in record growth for the Network along with personal achievements of winning a Women’s recognition award and being a finalist in various others.

connectbrokers.co.uk/

Karen Rodrigues joined Market Financial Solutions in July 2023 and has since been promoted to Chief Sales Officer. 

With over 20 years’ experience in the mortgage intermediary sector, Karen is focused on expanding and utilising the sales team in order to bring Market Financial Solutions’ fast and flexible financial products to brokers across the UK.

 Starting her career in financial services with Halifax, Karen has always worked closely with mortgage intermediaries, focusing on networking to build longstanding and deep relationship and understanding the service requirements of networks, clubs, packagers and mortgage brokers.

 Karen moved to One Savings Bank as a National Account Manager, working on both the Kent Reliance and Prestige Finance brands, and has held positions at Aldermore Mortgages, GE Money and Kensington. She also worked as Corporate Sales Manager for Vida Homeloans for 4 years, and joined ULS technology, now Smoov, in April 2020, as director of sales.

Karen is the proud owner of  several industry awards to her name including her own WRA for Spokesperson of the Year.

www.mfsuk.com

Dave has been in financial services industry with over 30 years of experience. Recently joining Bank of Ireland from Barclays, where he spent 13 years, Dave's expertise lies in intermediary business and partnership management. Prior to his role at Barclays, he worked for National Australia Bank and Santander, focusing on financial planning. With a wealth of knowledge and a successful track record, Dave brings valuable insights and a strong business acumen to his current position at Bank of Ireland.

www.bankofireland.com/

Coming soon...

themortgagebroker.co.uk/

Debbie Staveley is a PR and communications professional. She is the founder and CEO of bClear Communications, an agency which has specialised in financial services, fintech, property and construction for 20 years. 
bClear Communications is now one of the most well-respected public relations agencies in the financial services sphere. The team at bClear is well known for achieving outstanding results that eclipse those most other agencies. It specialised in everything from communications strategy and digital PR to white papers, award entries and, of course, generating extensive media coverage for clients in both trade and national press.
Prior to founding bClear Communications Debbie set up an internal communication at RBS, managed B2B and B2C PR at Bristol & West and Bank of Ireland and then internal and external communications at top-75 law firm Clarke Willmott.

www.bclear.co.uk/

Having worked at Coventry Building Society for over 17 years, Jonathan is an experienced head of intermediary relationship management with a demonstrated history of working in the financial services industry as a business development manager and corporate account manager. Jonathan’s current position involves fostering broker relationships, leading corporate account management teams and overseeing the Intermediary development telephone team in head office as well as a team of regional managers and BDMs.

www.coventrybuildingsociety.co.uk/

Giovanna has worked in finance for over 25 years and within the mortgage industry for 17 years. She is a senior BDM at Fleet mortgages. Giovanna is immensely proud of being  a finalist at the WRA 2023 and is looking forward to judging this years nominees. 
‘I’m excited to be part of the judging panel at WRA25, celebrating the amazing women in our industry’.

www.fleetmortgages.co.uk/

Amanda is a Senior Product Manager at Gatehouse Bank, where she leads the Home Finance product team. She is an expert in pricing, product, and proposition, with nearly two decades of experience in retail banking product development. Recently, she also became a Certified FinTech Practitioner. Amanda brings over 27 years of experience in financial services, having held product roles both in the UK and internationally, including positions at Barclays UAE, Bank Muscat International, Vida Home loans, Buckinghamshire Building Society, and Mpowered Mortgages.

Living abroad opened Amanda's eyes to diverse cultures and working practices, which she now leverages to champion diversity, equity, and inclusion as a DE&I Forum member at Gatehouse Bank. She is dedicated to ensuring all voices, including LGBTQ+ voices, are heard and valued. Amanda is passionate about fostering a culture of belonging and actively mentors’ young people to help them navigate their careers in financial services.

gatehousebank.com/

Matt Tristram is the Co-Founder and Director of Loans Warehouse, one of the UK’s leading specialist finance brokers. With over two decades of experience in the financial services industry, Matt has built a reputation for innovation, integrity, and a customer-first approach. Under his leadership, Loans Warehouse has won multiple industry awards and is recognised for its excellence in secured loans, bridging finance, and specialist lending solutions.

www.loanswarehouse.co.uk/

Alex Upton is the Managing Director of Specialist Mortgages & Bridging at HTB, where she leads both the Specialist Mortgages and Bridging teams. With over 15 years of experience in the lending industry, Alex has built a strong reputation for delivering tailored, practical solutions for brokers and their clients. She believes in the power of collaboration and adaptability, leading her teams with a focus on solving complex lending challenges. At HTB, Alex fosters an environment where brokers can rely on them for straightforward, effective support, ensuring the best possible outcomes for their clients in every scenario.

www.htb.co.uk/

After more than 30 years working in financial services, I know you’re only as good as the people around you and the key to success is getting a great team working together. When I was putting our sales team together, I was determined to recruit people from different backgrounds, who’ve experienced different things and who bring a different way of thinking to the table. I was looking for people who were honest, sincere, hardworking, tenacious and prepared to go above and beyond the call of duty, regardless of their background. The result is perhaps one of the most diverse sales team in the industry, and one which challenges the norms of what the market has come to expect from a sales team. It’s why I’m so proud to have been asked to sit on the judging panel for this year’s Women’s Recognition Awards as we recognise those who’ve worked so hard towards creating a more diverse and equal financial services community.

chetwoodbank.co.uk/

Richard leads the Intermediary Channel for Virgin Money and responsible for intermediary distribution covering Virgin Money and Clydesdale Bank Mortgage Brand. His team of National Accounts, Field and Telephony BDMs work with brokers to maximise opportunities and develop excellent business relationships. Richard joined Virgin Money in 2013 and has over two decades of experience in intermediary mortgages having previously been in roles at Virgin One Account, First Active and RBS.

uk.virginmoney.com/

Richard recently celebrated 30 years at HSBC, having started his career as a General Insurance Broker.

More recently, Richard has worked in HSBC’s Retail Banking Head Office, as a Senior Product & Proposition Manager where he was integral to the Bank’s launch into the Mortgage Intermediary market.

Before joining HSBC Life, in 2019, Richard spent two years in our Global Group Insurance team as a Senior Manager for Intermediary and Private Bank channels, supporting the development of the UK strategy and working alongside markets globally.

In his current role as Head of Protection Distribution, he leads an experienced team of Business Development Managers covering the length and breadth of the UK as well as our telephone teams.

www.life.hsbc.co.uk