Moves meant to enhance broker support
Specialist mortgage lenders LiveMore, Afin Bank, and Hampshire Trust Bank (HTB) have announced key leadership hires as they strengthen their teams to support brokers and expand their lending propositions.
LiveMore, a lender focused on borrowers aged 50 to 90-plus, has appointed Paul Lewis (pictured left) as sales director of mortgages. Lewis joins from Mortgage 1st, where he was head of partnerships. He brings more than 20 years of financial services experience, including senior roles at Mansfield Building Society.
His appointment follows strong growth in LiveMore’s later life lending segment, particularly in the lifetime mortgage (equity release) market. He takes over from Les Pick, who is transitioning to the newly created role of sales director of equity release.
“I am honoured to be joining LiveMore at such an exciting time for the business after it’s delivered eye-catching revenue and lending growth in 2024,” Lewis said. “As a company we will be looking at new and exciting ways to better support our broker partners.”
Meanwhile, Afin Bank has appointed Simrat Gill (pictured centre) as senior underwriter as it builds its mortgage proposition ahead of its planned launch later this year. Gill previously held senior underwriting roles at Precise Mortgages and buy-to-let lender Landbay.
The bank, which received its banking licence Authorisation with Restrictions (AwR) in October 2023, is backed by African reinsurer WAICA Re and will offer residential and buy-to-let mortgages for UK borrowers as well as buy-to-let loans in select African countries.
Gill said she was drawn to the opportunity to work with underserved borrowers, particularly those who struggle to obtain mortgages from mainstream lenders due to visa status or limited credit history.
“The opportunity struck me as truly unique,” she said. “With our approach, we can review factors such as visa status, credit, and income that other lenders would probably reject as a risk because they can’t validate them using a completely automated approach.”
In a similar move, Hampshire Trust Bank (HTB) has appointed Alex Klimcke (pictured right) as business development executive (BDE) in its specialist mortgages division. Klimcke, formerly a business development manager at Novellus Finance, brings experience in specialist finance and will work closely with brokers to structure complex cases.
HTB recently restructured its business development team to enhance broker support and create a clear career progression path. The team now operates across four tiers, from BDE to regional account director.
“HTB’s reputation for specialist expertise and its hands-on approach with brokers made this an easy decision for me,” Klimcke said. “I look forward to working closely with brokers, helping them navigate complex deals and secure the right solutions for their clients.”
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