"Confidence often comes from experience": Together’s Freddie Atkinson on being part of the next generation

It was while working as an apprentice accountant that Freddie Atkinson, now telephony account manager at Together, realised his passion for the mortgage industry.

"I was fortunate to be seconded to a role within the accountancy’s sister company, which specialised in wealth management and mortgages. The fast-paced nature of the mortgage side immediately caught my attention, and I found myself drawn to the pace and variety of the work," he says.

"Supporting the team in an administrative role gave me a solid foundation and a real appreciation for the impact we could have on clients’ lives. From that point on, I was hooked, and I’ve never looked back since!"

A pivotal moment for Freddie was joining Together in October 2024: “I’ve been fortunate to work under Abigail Pickford, intermediary sales operations director, who has been both supportive and empowering. Her trust in my abilities has given me the confidence to take ownership of increasingly complex and high-value transactions.

“One standout moment was when I successfully structured a £10 million bridging loan. This achievement was even featured in the press. That experience was a real milestone in my career and a testament to the opportunities and support I’ve received," he explains.

Inspiring the next generation

"Awareness is key," Freddie says regarding finding the next generation of talent, "while many young people are drawn to the idea of working in 'finance,' the term is often associated solely with roles in accounting or investment banking.

"To make our industry a first-choice career path, we need to do more to showcase the variety of roles available and the real-world impact they have," he adds.

Freddie also acknowledges that "the industry needs to place greater emphasis on social mobility."

"While I’ve been fortunate to build a career in this space, I recognise that for many young people, especially those from underrepresented or less privileged backgrounds, financial services can seem distant or even unattainable. There's often a perception that it's a glamorous, exclusive world, which can unintentionally discourage talented individuals from seeing it as a viable path," he says.

In order to change this, Freddie notes that “the industry needs to actively invest in initiatives that broaden access and visibility. This includes outreach to schools, creating accessible entry routes like apprenticeships, and showcasing real, relatable success stories.

"By identifying untapped talent and supporting individuals to realise their potential, regardless of background, we can build a more diverse, inclusive, and future-ready industry."

For those up-and-comers already making their way in the industry, Freddie’s biggest piece of advice is to "master your time management - it’s one of the most critical skills you’ll need in this industry."

"One technique that’s really helped me is allocating specific blocks of time in my calendar for focused tasks. It creates structure in a fast-paced environment and helps you stay on top of priorities. That said, time management isn’t one-size-fits-all. My advice is experiment with different methods until you find a rhythm that works for you - and stick with it."

Another huge lesson for Freddie has been self-belief: "Earlier in my career, I often doubted my abilities, mainly because of my age, which held me back from stepping up and fully owning my potential," he says.

"It wasn’t until I joined Abigail Pickford’s team at Together that I was given the trust and autonomy to handle larger, more complex transactions. That support helped me grow in confidence and capability, and in turn, I now help some of our more experienced colleagues to structure these deals.

"Don’t be afraid to make mistakes - they’re essential to learning and growth. Trust in your abilities, seek out supportive mentors, and remember that confidence often comes from experience, not the other way around," he adds.

Supporting success stories

Freddie highlights Together’s "flagship graduate and apprenticeship programme," the Together Academy, as one of the business’s "proudest achievements."

"Our Academy brings together emerging talent from across the business, laying the foundation for long-term growth and leadership. Many colleagues have accelerated their development through the Academy, with several advancing into senior leadership roles, including our chief commercial officer.

"The Together Academy programmes are designed to be immersive and provide real-world experience, wellbeing support, growth activities and bundles of exposure. It also has a strengths framework which helps us to ensure we attract and recruit the best people for our business," he explains.

On top of this, Freddie adds that "our apprenticeship programme, now in its ninth year, welcomed 32 new starters in 2025, reaching over 100 apprentices to date, and our graduate scheme, in its seventeenth year, has recruited 115 graduates across disciplines from legal to marketing."

Freddie recalls the success story of a close colleague of his, Bryn Clueit, who began at Together as an apprentice: "He found out about Together through working in a pub. By chance, he served the Director of Watts Commercial, a long-standing broker partner of Together, who asked about career prospects after A-levels.

"Having started in September 2022, Bryn completed his apprenticeship in April 2024 and is now a fully-fledged Intermediary Sales Specialist based within the Telephony Sales Hub and supporting brokers remotely.

"He regularly assists with training new starters and introducing them to Together. What I like about the scheme is that it allows the freedom to explore various departments to discover which one fits best with your strengths and interests. Bryn has learned so much about mortgages since joining and is a much-valued member of the team," he says.

According to Freddie, this desire to keep opening the door for new talent is “true to Together’s humble beginnings in Manchester in 1974, and our founder’s entrepreneurial spirit and determination, which has shaped our enduring ethos to fund property ambition.

"Not only is this evident in the company’s hiring strategy but also in its new vision launched by Group CEO Richard Rowntree in July 2025: 'We are the finance partner of choice - powering progress by giving people a fair chance to bring their property ambitions to life,'" he quotes.

Freddie notes that another way Together achieves its commitment to making specialist lending inclusive and accessible to the next generation is to “share the stories of role models, particularly those colleagues who’ve had long-lasting, successful and far-reaching careers at the company.

"Marc Goldberg, now CEO of Sales and Distribution, joined Together in 1989 as an Office Junior. Over 36 years, he helped grow the business from 12 employees to over 850, with a loan book of £8bn.

"His legendary work ethic, warmth, and unwavering commitment to doing the right thing have made him a respected and accessible leader, always with a finger on the pulse and a heart for people.

"Another role model at Together is Tanya Elmaz. Recently promoted to Managing Director of Intermediary Sales, Tanya’s journey reflects resilience, grit, and a genuine passion for people and progress. She is an active mentor across the sector, supporting aspiring professionals via Working in Mortgages, mentoring externally in specialist lending, and empowering young girls as a 'big sister' with Girls Out Loud.

"Within Together, four of the six members of Tanya’s SLT are women, and there’s a 50/50 gender split across the wider team - achieved not by quotas, but by creating an inclusive, aspirational environment where talent can thrive," Freddie explains.

But what will the future of the industry look like for those inspired by the role models of today? Freddie believes that "in 5-10 years’ time, a lot of manual work will be removed from people’s day-to-day role, allowing people to spend more time on what matters - sourcing, placing deals and making people more efficient."

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