"Making a genuine difference": your finalists’ proudest moments

With less than two months to go until the Women's Recognition Awards 2026, this year's finalists share the proudest moments from their careers so far. 

Individual awards - adviser only 

Building SM Finance Lounge into award winning, directly authorised mortgage brokerage that clients genuinely trust. Seeing people getting their homes after they been told ''no'' by other brokers or lenders. This recognition is wonderful milestone.

-     Simona Minikaitiene, SM Finance Lounge, Financial Adviser of the Year finalist

Launching Her Invest has been one of the proudest moments of my career. Throughout my time working in financial services, and through my own life experiences, I’ve seen first-hand the financial challenges many women face, and the lack of advice and education designed specifically for them.

Creating Her Invest has allowed me to turn that experience into something meaningful. The conversations I’ve had since launching have reinforced just how much this approach resonates with women, and I’m excited to continue building a brand that helps more women feel confident, informed and in control of their financial futures.

-     Christine Tarran, Tarran & Co Financial Planning Ltd, Financial Adviser of the Year finalist

It has to be the moment I finally realised the only thing holding me back from owning my own business was me and my fears. Taking the leap from employed to self-employed and now limited was the best decision I ever made, not only professionally but also for my family life.

-     Tanya Absalom, Tanya Absalom Mortgages Ltd, Mortgage Adviser of the Year finalist

One of the achievements I'm most proud of is the consistent volume and quality of mortgage applications I deliver, but more importantly, the impact behind those numbers.

At the end of each year, reflecting on how many people and families I've helped with their mortgages and finances is incredibly rewarding. I also love building long-term relationships with customers and supporting them through different life stages, from first-time buyers to growing families and beyond.

Alongside my day-to-day role, I'm proud of the work I've done in local communities, particularly in schools, helping children and young adults develop a better understanding of finances and money management. Being able to make a positive difference both professionally and within the community is something I value greatly.

-     Helen Slaughter, Newcastle Building Society, Mortgage Adviser of the Year finalist

This exact moment! It’s been a total whirlwind of a year, I’ve hit the highest submission numbers in the whole company and earned an internal promotion, but being named 1 of 5 finalists for this award is the ultimate highlight. 

-     Safina Hickling, Mojo Mortgages, Protection Adviser of the Year finalist

The achievement I’m most proud of is building Stagg Mortgage Services into a values driven, client‑centred and nationally recognised brokerage. Creating a space where advisers feel supported, clients feel genuinely cared for, and women can grow, lead and thrive has been one of the most meaningful parts of my career.

I’m proud of the impact we make through protection advice, helping families feel secure and ensuring people have the support they need when life takes an unexpected turn. Knowing that our work has made a real difference to real people is something I hold close.

I’m also incredibly proud of the development of my team. Watching advisers like Katie grow in confidence, skill and leadership reminds me why I do what I do. Seeing her nominated as a Rising Star is a standout moment.

And finally, being shortlisted as a business for Equity, Diversity & Inclusion: Best Customer Support is a milestone that reflects our culture, our heart, and the commitment we bring to every client interaction. All of these achievements matter because they’re rooted in purpose: building something meaningful, supportive and impactful for both clients and colleagues. 

-     Katherine Stagg, Stagg Mortgage Services, Protection Adviser of the Year & EDI: Best Customer Support finalist

Winning awards is always an honour, but the achievement I'm most proud of is the impact I've had on people's lives over the past three decades. Whether it's giving someone the confidence to retire years earlier than they thought possible, helping a family protect their loved one's assets when care is needed, or mentoring the next generation of advisers, knowing I've made a genuine difference is what motivates me every day.

Professionally, becoming a chartered financial planner and using that expertise to specialise in retirement and later life advice has been a defining milestone in my career.

-     Rachel Efetha, Anstee & Co, Later Life Adviser of the Year finalist

Without doubt, achieving FCA Direct Authorisation for my business is the career achievement I'm most proud of. It represented months of hard work, resilience and determination, building every part of the business to meet the highest regulatory standards while continuing to look after my clients.

It’s also given me the confidence to realise just how far I've come. It wasn't just about gaining approval from the FCA; it was about creating a business that truly reflects my values, where client outcomes always come first and I have the freedom to continually improve the service I provide.

-     Natalie Barlow, Best 4U Mortgages Ltd, Later Life Adviser of the Year finalist

Winning this award in 2022 of course!

-     Katie White, Attivo, Later Life Adviser of the Year finalist

My proudest moment so far was being asked by my managing director to represent the business on my own at the National Property Awards in September 2025. I genuinely love what I do and so to receive the award on behalf of all the team at Real Finance for Best Finance Broker of the Year was a real honour.

-     Lydia Rock, Real Finance Ltd, Specialist Lending Adviser of the Year finalist

The push into specialist lending. It’s a complex market and with so many products and opportunities available to clients, you need knowledge to ensure you are doing the right thing. Also creating a personal brand, that is tough, you have to be vulnerable and that’s no easy thing!

-     Zoe Meharg, Mandalay Financial, Specialist Lending Adviser of the Year finalist

Building When The Bank Says No from scratch and turning it into a business that genuinely changes people's lives. We deal with clients who've been told ‘no’ by every other lender, and helping them get a mortgage when they thought it was impossible never gets old. Being named a finalist for this award, built on that mission, is right up there too.

-     Emma Jones, When The Bank Says No, Woman Led Brokerage of the Year finalist

The career achievements I’m most proud of are winning Industry Ambassador of the Year at the NACFB Awards in 2025 and Specialist Broker of the Year at last year’s Financial Reporter Women’s Recognition Awards.

Both meant so much because they recognised different parts of my journey: the work I do to champion and support the specialist finance industry, and the business I’ve built from scratch as a broker. To be recognised by the industry I’ve worked in for over 20 years was a real ‘stop and take it in’ moment for me, and a reminder of just how far I’ve come.

-     Kim McGinley, VIBE Finance, Woman Led Brokerage of the Year finalist

When I started my first business, I was just 18 years old and had no roadmap for what lay ahead. Since then, I've had the privilege of growing a successful brokerage and leading the merger that created Aria Finance, bringing together two established brokerages with a shared vision for specialist finance.

Seeing colleagues progress in their careers is incredibly rewarding. Business success is important, but for me it's always been about the people behind it. Creating a culture where individuals feel valued, supported and empowered to do their best work is something I'm immensely proud of.

Of course, there have been milestones along the way, from business growth to industry awards, but the legacy I hope to leave is one of developing great people and building a business where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

-     Lucy Waters, Aria Finance, Woman Led Brokerage of the Year finalist

Establishing and leading our company Wellness Hub is the achievement I'm most proud of. While I'm proud of my professional qualifications and career progression, creating something that has positively impacted people's wellbeing has been incredibly rewarding. The Wellness Hub has encouraged open conversations about mental wellbeing, strengthened relationships across teams and helped create a more supportive workplace where colleagues feel heard and valued.

I'm also proud of the journey that brought me here. Starting my career in South Africa, qualifying as a financial planner while raising two children, moving to the UK, rebuilding my career from the ground up and becoming diploma qualified in both countries has taught me resilience and adaptability.

-     Desiree Coetzee, MWA Financial Advice, Paraplanner of the Year finalist

My biggest achievements this year have been supporting our clients through some of the most difficult times in their lives. Losing a loved one is incredibly challenging, and navigating the claims process can add further stress during an already emotional period.

Being able to guide our clients through that journey, managing their claims on their behalf and providing reassurance and support every step of the way, has been both a privilege and a responsibility that I take very seriously. Ensuring that clients receive the financial support they need, while also feeling heard, understood and cared for, is at the heart of what we do. Helping families achieve the best possible outcome during such challenging circumstances is what makes this work so meaningful. I am so proud to be part of the journey in helping people.

-     Katie Reynolds, Stagg Mortgage Services, Adviser Rising Star finalist

I am proud to have taken the steps to become a self-employed broker at a firm I love. This was a huge leap of faith at such a young age. In doing so, I have been able to mentor brokers and administrators, led our new Work Experience programme to expose more young people to the world of finance and become an integral part of the business.

-     Joanna Everett, Fowler Smith Mortgages and Protection, Adviser Rising Star finalist

Individual awards

Becoming a BDM has been a huge achievement in itself. I have loved the role since I first started with RBS, and working for Darlington Building Society makes me particularly proud. The Society’s values and work ethic mirror my own, especially in the way colleagues and customers are treated. I have also gained a great deal of satisfaction from organising events such as A Morning with the Mutuals.

To have built a career I am proud of while raising two children and supporting ailing parents is something I will always feel proud of.

-     Amanda Smith, Darlington Building Society, BDM of the Year finalist

The career achievement I’m most proud of is the impact I’ve had on developing underwriting talent and raising standards across the business. Over the past year, I delivered eight specialist underwriting academies and provided coaching that helped 11 underwriters achieve high-level mandate, significantly increasing the team’s capability to manage complex cases with confidence and consistency.

I also played a key role in developing our trainee underwriter programme and created Underwriting Understood, an initiative that improved underwriting knowledge and collaboration across multiple teams. What makes this achievement particularly rewarding is seeing the lasting impact it has had on both individuals and the wider business, helping build stronger underwriting capability, better collaboration, and ultimately making mortgages happen.

-     Hayley Roberts, Foundation, Underwriter of the Year finalist

One of the achievements I’m most proud of is helping shift how we show up in the protection market, moving from individual campaigns to a more joined-up, always-on approach.

That included launching the Scottish Widows Protection adviser channel, building internal amplification through the ‘Who’s talking about us?’ hub, supporting the income protection launch, simplifying underwriting transformation, and helping advisers access content they could genuinely use with clients.

I’m also really proud of the work linked to our Macmillan Cancer Support partnership, because it showed how marketing can connect insight, empathy and action. The cancer prevalence work, claims storytelling and adviser support helped make a difficult subject more visible, more practical and easier to talk about. What makes me proudest is that the work wasn’t just creative for the sake of it. It helped people understand something better, start better conversations and feel more confident taking action.

-     Vikki Harrison, Scottish Widows, Marketer of the Year finalist

Without doubt, the achievement I'm most proud of is the impact I've had on people. Commercial successes, partnerships and strategic projects are all important, but what stays with me are the colleagues I've supported, mentored and helped develop throughout my career.

Seeing people grow in confidence, take on new challenges and progress in their careers is incredibly rewarding. I've also been proud to build stronger collaboration across different parts of the mortgage and property industry, bringing lenders, brokers, surveying and professional services together to focus on better outcomes for customers. Those relationships and the positive change they enable are what I'm most proud of.

-     Eloise Hall, e.surv - LSL, Spokesperson of the Year finalist

Without a doubt, it's seeing the people I've worked with grow. I've helped build business change functions, delivered large operational and regulatory change programmes, and improved the way organisations work. I'm incredibly proud of those achievements because I know they've made a real difference to the businesses I've worked for.

But what makes me proudest is knowing I've helped people become more confident, capable and successful. Seeing someone develop new skills, take on new challenges or believe in themselves a little more because of the support I've given them is far more rewarding than any project I've delivered. That's the impact I hope to continue having throughout my career.

-     Zoe Langer, Mint Property Finance, Mentor of the Year finalist

I'm most proud of taking a leap of faith and joining Conveybuddy before we had even launched. It was a brand-new business and there were no guarantees of what the future would look like. I believed in the vision, backed the people behind it and wanted to be part of building something that I believed would make a difference.

Fast forward to today and seeing what we've achieved together has been incredibly rewarding. Since launching in September 2024, we've grown to work with thousands of mortgage brokers across the UK, been recognised with industry awards in an incredibly competitive market and, most importantly, built a reputation for delivering the service brokers genuinely value and trust.

Knowing I've played a part in that journey is something I'm immensely proud of. From helping shape our operations and support our growing team, to ensuring we continue delivering on the promises we make to our brokers, it's been a privilege to contribute to a business that's making such a positive impact.

For me, this achievement isn't about a job title. It's about believing in something from the very beginning, helping turn that vision into reality and proving that with the right people, a lot of hard work and a shared commitment to doing things differently, incredible things really can happen.

-     Amy Innes, Conveybuddy, Provider Rising Star finalist      

Leadership awards

The career achievement I'm most proud of is the opportunity I've had to help shape the strategic direction of the business and see that vision turn into tangible results. I've been really lucky to work in both start-ups and scale ups, and to actually bring tangible products out to market (successfully or otherwise) has been an absolute privilege!

-     Toni Robinson-Bowring, Twenty7tec, Woman in Fintech finalist

Over the last few years, I’m most proud of leading the transformation of our sourcing business, doubling our engineering capacity and delivering key innovations, including AI proofs of concept, which helped drive our customer satisfaction to record highs.

But the real win wasn't just the technology or the statistics; it was watching the women I’ve mentored step up into leadership and specialist roles along the way. It is proof that scaling high impact, innovative technology and building a supportive, inclusive culture really do go hand in hand. And that feels like a real achievement to me!

-     Jacqueline Durbin, Iress, Woman in Fintech finalist

It's hard to pick just one achievement because, for me, success has always been about the people I've been able to help. I'm incredibly proud of supporting advisers to embrace technology with confidence, making their lives easier so they can spend more time helping their clients.

Equally, working with students and aspiring advisers, sharing my experiences and hopefully inspiring the next generation coming into our industry, has been a real privilege. I'm also passionate about breaking down barriers by talking openly about topics like financial vulnerability.

If sharing my own experiences helps someone feel seen, supported or gives them the confidence to have better conversations with their clients, then that's something I'm incredibly proud of. At the end of the day, if I've made a positive difference to even one person's career or life, that's an achievement worth celebrating.

-     Niki Cooke, Mortgage Brain, Woman in Fintech finalist

The career achievement I'm most proud of isn't a promotion or a sales result, it's the people I've helped develop along the way. Over the last few years, I've invested heavily in building clear development pathways and creating opportunities for people to grow. Seeing team members achieve promotions, move into new roles, and build confidence in their own abilities has been incredibly rewarding.

One standout moment was seeing a member of my team win BDM of the Year after three years of coaching and development. I'm proud of the business results we've achieved together, but on a deeper level, knowing I've helped people realise they're capable of more than they thought is what gives me the greatest sense of achievement, as that's what my boss does for me.

-     Abigail Pickford, Together Money, Woman in Management finalist

By far seeing others progress and achieve their goals, it is the biggest win when you are in leadership. I'm also proud to be an advocate for working mothers.

-     Louise Drummond, Leeds Building Society, Woman in Management finalist

I am proud of how far women have come in this industry, hopefully the positive impact I have had on this within my own organisation and with our external business partners. I always look to make sure everyone has a voice and encourage women to stand up and be counted.

-     Vicki Kingston, Coventry Building Society, Woman in Management finalist

Over the past few years, I've developed and delivered adviser workshops and educational events that have grown significantly in reach and impact. Through collaboration with industry partners and a real focus on adviser needs, attendance increased from around 10 people per session to more than 30, creating a much wider platform for discussion and learning.

What makes me most proud isn't just the growth in numbers; it's knowing that those conversations have helped advisers feel more confident supporting older customers through increasingly complex decisions around retirement, care funding and later life borrowing.

I'm also proud of the individual outcomes I've helped achieve. Whether it's working with advisers to find solutions for clients in difficult circumstances or helping them navigate complex cases, I've seen first-hand how good support can make a genuine difference to people's financial wellbeing.

Being shortlisted for this award is particularly meaningful because it recognises not only commercial success, but the positive impact I've been able to have on advisers, clients and the development of the later life lending profession as a whole. But if I'm honest, what I'm proudest of isn't a statistic or a sales result, it's when advisers tell me that I've helped them achieve a better outcome for a client they didn't think was possible. Knowing I've made a difference to people's lives through the advisers I support is what motivates me every day.

-     Sara Freer, Legal & General Home Finance, Woman in Later Life Lending finalist

Without hesitation, it's the impact I've been able to have beyond my day job. I've always been passionate about building strong relationships, but over the last year I've also challenged myself to become a stronger advocate for wellbeing, resilience and mental health through my 12 in 12 challenge.

It’s seen me really push myself out of my comfort zone, from completing the London Marathon in April, taking on new challenges to raise awareness, or simply starting conversations during our monthly mental health walks that encourage people to look after themselves and support one another, I'm proud that I've been able to use my platform to make a difference.#

-     Stacey Wood, Market Harborough Building Society, Woman in Specialist Lending finalist

I’m most proud of building an ecosystem that genuinely supports our network and strengthens how we operate. Just as importantly, I’m proud of creating a team where people feel empowered to spread their wings and grow with confidence. Seeing them thrive has been one of the most rewarding parts of my career.

-     Charlotte Rutter, Roma Finance, Woman in Specialist Lending finalist

I'm most proud of the people I've helped develop along the way, BDMs and BDEs who've grown into stronger sales professionals under my leadership. Commercial results matter but building capability and belief in others is what I look back on with the most pride.

-     Karen Rodrigues, TAB, Woman in Specialist Lending finalist

I’m proudest of helping create an environment where advisers can do the right thing by their customers. For me, that means making it easier for them to give quality advice, have better conversations and feel confident they’re recommending the right mortgage and protection solutions for real people and real families. And we can see that work making a difference.

More advisers are choosing to join Sesame, and the advisers already with us are writing more mortgages and more protection. Behind every one of those cases is someone buying a home, moving forward with their life or making sure their family would be financially protected if the worst happened. That’s what makes me proud.

-     Toni Smith, Sesame Bankhall Group, Woman in Protection finalist

Having the confidence to go self employed as a broker really was the most pivotal moment. It was tough but it has paid off for me in the type of adviser I want to be and the type of mom.

-     Marianne Lombardi, Mortgage Chat, Entrepreneur of the Year finalist

All of the work I have done as head of The Right Mortgage Network’s vulnerability committee. Although I absolutely love my main role too, wellbeing and vulnerability are my lifelong passions, and I am so proud to see the positive effect my work has had. It’s something I will continue to contribute to for the entirety of my career and beyond.

-     Rebecca Egerton, The Right Mortgage & Protection Network, EDI: Mental Health Advocate finalist

Business awards 

What I'm most proud of is being part of a business that genuinely puts people first. Creating a culture where colleagues feel supported, valued and able to be themselves isn't something that happens overnight. It's the result of consistent commitment, listening to feedback and investing in the wellbeing and development of our people.

Having this progress recognised through the Sunday Times Best Places to Work award for three years running has been a real highlight, because that recognition comes directly from our colleagues. It tells us we’re getting the important things right. Seeing our Thrive Agenda continue to evolve and seeing colleagues like Stacey use them as a platform to inspire others, is something I'm incredibly proud to have been part of.

-     Lesley Vernon, Market Harborough Building Society, EDI: Best Employee Support & EDI: Best Customer Support finalist

Without doubt, the achievement I am most proud of is the growth and impact of our DE&I Champions network. Seeing colleagues across the business come together to drive positive change, support one another and champion inclusion has been incredibly rewarding. I am also particularly proud of helping to deliver our first International Women's Day event. The event brought our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion to life and demonstrated how important these values are to Accord.

-     Angelika Christian, Accord Mortgages, EDI: Best Employee Support & EDI: Initiative of the Year finalist

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