Meet the Selection Panel

Nicola Goldie is the Head of Strategic Partnerships and Growth at Aldermore, a specialist lender committed to backing people across the UK. With over 20 years of experience in financial services, she leads key initiatives that fuel business growth and build meaningful partnerships. Nicola is also Deputy Chair of the Intermediary Mortgage Lenders Association (IMLA) and the newly appointed Chair of Working in Mortgages (WIM), where she champions innovation, inclusion, and the development of future industry talent.

A passionate mentor and advocate for diversity, Nicola is committed to creating a more inclusive and forward-thinking mortgage sector. As a busy mum and dedicated carer, she brings empathy and authenticity to her leadership—balancing strategic insight with lived experience. Widely respected for her purpose-led approach, Nicola continues to drive meaningful change across the financial services landscape.

www.aldermore.co.uk/intermediaries

Jeremy has been with YBS since March 2018, having been in the mortgage market for over 20 years. He has worked in senior management roles for several lenders and distributers, and has also worked as an advisor and a broker. Prior to joining YBS was Director of Legal & General Mortgage Club.

Jeremy is responsible for the external delivery of the YBS & Accord Mortgage Distribution propositions, including the BDA, (T)BDM and Corporate Account Manager teams for Accord and the Direct Mortgage Team . He also represents YBS as spokesperson for press and PR.

His other main responsibility is to help develop the Mortgage Distribution proposition. Our purpose is to work collaboratively to build relationships that deliver outcomes above and beyond expectations.

Jeremy is also Chair of the Intermediary Mortgage Lenders Association (IMLA), the trade association that represents the views and interests of UK mortgage lenders involved in the generation of mortgage business via professional financial intermediaries.

www.accordmortgages.com

Stephanie joined Association of Mortgage Intermediaries (AMI) as Chief Executive in February 2025 having held previous roles within key distributors, spanning across 27 years. Most recently Group Partnerships & Propositions Director at Sesame Bankhall Group and previously specialist distributor Positive Lending as Director of Mortgages and mortgage network Mortgage Intelligence as Head of Mortgages & Insurance.

Throughout her career working across the intermediary sector, Stephanie has been a passionate promoter of the need for, and value of, advice. Outside of work Stephanie’s other passion is anything Disney, always in the process of planning her next theme park trip – with a detailed spreadsheet to match.

www.a-m-i.org.uk

Will is responsible for the operational management of the entire Brightstar Group, including Sirius Finance and Solstar Insurance. A member on the Board of Directors, taking lead on all matters financial, Human Resources, technology and operational. He works relentlessly to champion a proactive environment ensuring that the group operations remain resilient in an ever-changing market and drive efficiencies in our working practices.

Will’s background is steeped in politics, with more than 13 years spanning leadership and campaign roles with Brentwood Borough Council and the Conservative Party, elected as the youngest Councillor in history at 18 in 2007.

Outside of work he serves as a volunteer Treasurer for the Old Brentwoods Rugby Football Club (OBRFC) and a Trustee for The Niall Stringer Foundation. In 2024 he launched the Pride In Finance Alliance, PIFA, aimed at increasing the representation of LGBTQ+ people in the financial services sector and creating a new allyship community.

He was the joint lead organisers of the Mortgage Sleep Out in 2018, a series of UK events, raising over £120,000 to End Youth Homelessness and in 2024 hosted the Mortgage Industry Alzheimer’s Charity Ball raising £50,000 for the Alzheimer’s Society.

Since joining the Brightstar Group in 2012, he has racked up a number of accolades including two times winner at the British Mortgage Awards and two times winner at the British Specialist Lending Awards.

www.brightstarfinancial.co.uk

Liz Syms, CEO and founder of Connect Mortgages and Connect for Intermediaries, formed her multi-award-winning firm in 1998.

With over 25 years’ experience in mortgage and financial advice, her Specialist Mortgage Network now employs over 50 staff and supports over 350 adviser firms across mainstream and complex property finance. Under her leadership, her team has helped countless clients and investors achieve their property finance goals, embracing AI and technology to transform the mortgage process.

A committed mentor and industry thought leader, Liz serves as Chair of the Society of Mortgage Professionals, sits on FIBA’s board, and co-created the Certified Practitioner in Specialist Property Finance accreditation.

connectmortgages.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

Lottie Dougill has over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, having worked in various roles including as a Mortgage Broker, Direct Adviser with NatWest and as a Business Development Manager and Underwriter at Chorley Building Society.

In her current role with Gatehouse Bank, she is responsible for leading the Home Finance Distribution strategy and team to build effective relationships with brokers, intermediaries and customers, based in the UK and overseas.

gatehousebank.com

Richard has over 20 years’ experience in the financial services industry. He started his career at Scottish Life Assurance as a Life and Pensions Consultant, before joining Platform Home Loans as a Business Development Manager in 1999, working his way up to become Head of Sales.

He joined Lehman Brothers in 2007 as Director of Sales for one of its intermediary mortgage brands, SPML. Following Lehman Brothers exit from the UK mortgage market in 2008, he worked briefly for a specialist insurance company, Exchange Bond before joining Countrywide as an Account Director, where he was responsible for setting up and developing their surveying, conveyancing and asset management B2B proposition.

Richard joined HSBC in June 2015 as Head of Sales and is responsible for HSBC UK’s external intermediary distribution, managing a team of over 50 Corporate Account Managers, Heads of Regions and Business Development Managers.

Richard is also Chair of the Intermediary Mortgage Lenders Association (IMLA).

www.hsbc.co.uk

Alex Upton is Managing Director of Specialist Mortgages and Bridging Finance at Hampshire Trust Bank. She leads both teams with a clear focus on collaboration, clarity and long-term support for brokers and their clients.

With over 25 years in the lending industry, Alex has built a reputation for her practical, relationship-led approach. She understands the value of consistent communication and believes that great outcomes come from working closely with people to find solutions that genuinely fit.

She is a strong advocate for nurturing talent and creating an environment where individuals feel supported to grow. Whether mentoring within her team or contributing to broader industry conversations, Alex is passionate about helping people build confidence in their careers and their own leadership.

Known for her energy and direct style, she brings a strong sense of purpose to her role. She believes in doing things properly, being clear on what matters and giving people the space to do their best work.

At HTB, Alex continues to shape a proposition built around real relationships, specialist knowledge and a genuine commitment to helping brokers and their clients move forward with confidence.

www.htb.co.uk

Kate studied German at Durham University and started her career in local government, following which she moved to the Building Societies Association/Council of Mortgage Lenders where she worked on a wide range of policy matters at both UK and European level. When the BSA and CML split in 1996, she stayed with the CML as Senior Policy Adviser and became the CML’s specialist on mortgage regulation.

Since leaving the CML at the end of 2008, Kate has worked freelance for a number of trade associations, and served for 6 years as a non-executive Director at Darlington Building Society. She succeeded Peter Williams as IMLA’s Executive Director in January 2018.

www.imla.org.uk

Eloise has a wealth of experience in the mortgage sector, working for brands such as Kensington Mortgages, Leeds Building Society and Principality Building Society. Eloise currently also acts as Chair for the Mortgage Industry Mental Health Charters’ SSG and has recently been named a 2025 Change Maker by Mortgage Solutions.

Eloise has an excellent track record of strategically supporting and growing key intermediary relationships across the UK. She has been recognised as an expert in her field and has won an array of awards highlighting her skills in leadership and relationship development including British Specialist Head of National Accounts in 2022 and in 2023, she has also been awarded the 2022 Woman in Specialist Lending award at Financial Reporter Women's Recognition Awards. Eloise has also been named as one of the ‘Top 100 Global Mortgage Professionals’ by Mortgage Introducer and has been voted as an Elite Woman in both 2023 and 2024.

www.kensingtonmortgages.co.uk

Nicola Firth was a mortgage broker for 13 years, first as an appointed representative and then as a directly authorised broker.

She ran her own brokerage for seven years. It was a frustration for her as a broker, finding the best rate for a client but then discovering the lender wouldn’t accept the criteria – and neither would the next lender on the list or even the one after that. This meant spending hours and even days trying to place cases. It was this which led her to found Knowledge Bank, the UK’s first criteria search system.

After 18 months of testing and development Knowledge Bank launched officially in September 2017.

It has now grown to be the largest database of mortgage lending criteria held in the UK serving thousands of brokers and lenders across seven different lending types, including residential, buy-to-let, second charges, equity release, self-build, bridging and commercial and winning 25 prestigious industry awards for the technology.

www.knowledgebank.uk/

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.

www.landc.co.uk

Vikki leads the growth of L&G’s presence and influence in retail markets, shaping strategy for distribution proposition development. She heads up market development, regional performance, business development, learning and development, and CRM teams—spanning the entire product range.

Before joining L&G, Vikki spent six years at LSL, serving as Proposition Director across its network brands in both the intermediated protection and mortgage markets. She led proposition development from both commercial and regulatory perspectives, while also overseeing the product governance and product desk teams. Her wider remit included leading internal colleague engagement at LSL’s network, PRIMIS, and actively contributing to cross-industry forums and committees focused on diversity and inclusion, sustainability, and climate action.

Vikki’s role at LSL followed its 2018 acquisition of Personal Touch Financial Services, which she had joined in 2013. Prior to that, she spent 14 years at Endsleigh Insurance, where she built deep industry expertise through roles in sales management, business development, and product design.

Based in Solihull, Vikki lives with her husband, two daughters, and their loyal dachshund. Outside of work, she enjoys playing netball, exploring the outdoors on foot, and virtually cycling the globe from the comfort of her exercise bike.

www.legalandgeneral.com

Ross Bennett is the Head of Mortgage Operations at LendInvest and an experienced people leader in financial services. In his role, he oversees the LendInvest intern programme aimed at school leavers looking for a career in mortgages allowing them to gain valuable work experience while studying for Specialist Lending qualifications. He is a strong advocate for bringing new generations of talent into the industry.

With over 16 years experience in financial services, Ross’s achievements include delivering significant operational efficiencies through automation solutions and operational excellence. He is experienced in running large teams and is a champion for good customer outcomes and delivering market leading custom service.

www.lendinvest.com

Peter Stimson has been in the mortgage industry for more years than he can now remember. Starting off as a graduate trainee for a Building Society, Peter ended up in the early 2000’s as Head of Products at GMAC-RFC before going on to be Head of Mortgage products within for Structured Finance at Lehman Brothers. Since helping to take Lehman down, Peter went onto to become MD at Corelogic before running Quests UK operation in a sojourn away from pure mortgage lending.

He has since returned to the dark side, joining mortgage Fin Tech MQube in late 2019. MQube launched into the Market under their MPowered brand in early 2021, first in Buy to Let, and then in early 2022 in Mainstream Residential, competing against the top 6 lenders. Away from work, Peter has a keen interest in sport and a questionable taste in music.   

MPowered is absolutely delighted to support FR30U30. As a major employer and developer of talent under 30, we believe that it’s vital to support and recognise the bank of talent that exists within our industry.

mpowered.co.uk/intermediaries

Charles has over 30 years’ experience within the financial service sector, the majority gained in the UK mortgage market having held senior sales and distribution roles with a number of lenders. He is currently Director of Mortgage Distribution at Metro Bank and has overall responsibility for both the intermediary and direct arms of the mortgage business, as well as T&C oversight and external intermediary communication.

He is a four-time winner at The British Mortgage Awards (Business Leader Lender -less than £5bn gross lending pa. – 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024), a twice winner at The British Specialist Lending Awards (Business Leader – Complex Income lender – 2024 & 2025), and the Financial Reporter Awards (Business Leader of the Year – 2025).

www.metrobankonline.co.uk

Adrian joined OSB Group in December 2015, and took on the role of Group Sales Director in 2020 which involved being responsible for all field and telephone-based sales teams across all group lending brands. At the beginning of 2022 Adrian became Group Intermediary Director and unified the intermediary sales leadership which brought together Precise, Kent Reliance for Intermediaries and InterBay.

Adrian joined us from Nationwide, where he was a senior member of the Corporate Account team. He has over 21 years of industry experience, including time spent at both Mortgage Trust and Portman Building Society.

He’s a highly respected industry spokesperson and keynote speaker, and was previously named Mortgage Personality of the Year at the prestigious Mortgage Strategy Awards 2018. He’s also a three-time winner of the Business Leader: Complex Buy-to-Let Lender at the British Specialist Lending Awards and won Business Leader: Intermediary Lender (less than £5bn gross lending p.a) in 2023 and again in 2025 at The British Mortgage Awards. Adrian has also been on the board of IMLA since 2019.

www.osb.co.uk

As Commercial Director at Paragon Bank, Russell Anderson drives the growth of the bank’s mortgage division through leading the Sales, Distribution, Product and Retention teams.

Drawing on more than 20 years of experience in financial services, Russell has held senior roles at major UK banks including Lloyds, Santander, and Bank of Ireland.

He is known for his strong leadership, deep industry insight, and commitment to delivering value through customer-focused solutions and strong intermediary partnerships.

www.paragonbank.co.uk

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

www.pepper.money

Harsha has played a pivotal role in the success of Quantum Mortgages since joining the team in 2022. Most recently, she has led her team through a transformative year, delivering record-breaking performances and driving strategic growth.

With deep expertise in the specialist mortgage market, Harsha is known for her dedication to excellence for intermediary partners, colleagues, and clients alike. She understands how to build meaningful relationships and create commercial strategies that deliver real impact.

As a passionate advocate for emerging talent, Harsha brings a unique perspective to the Financial Reporter 30 Under 30 panel. She has a long-standing track record of identifying and nurturing future leaders, empowering them with the tools, support and opportunities to thrive. Her dedication to championing the next generation is rooted in her belief that progress comes from investing in people.

Harsha doesn’t just know Quantum’s values, she lives them. She leads with integrity, innovation and inclusivity, and is proud to support initiatives that celebrate rising stars in financial services.

quantummortgages.co.uk

I’ve worked in the Mortgage and Finance Industry for over 35 years, and I’ve been involved in a diverse range of roles from customer facing operational roles to senior leadership.

More recently I’ve run the Intermediary Teams at Skipton for the last 7 years, previous to that I ran the Branch Network for 7 years, was Managing Director of Amber Homeloans, General Manager of Mortgage Servicing and Sales and Marketing Director at HML (Homeloan Management)

I have Post Graduate Certificates in both Business Administration and Executive Coaching (both completed after I was 40)

I have an real interest in working with people, and currently Mentor or Coach a number of industry professionals in organisations and firms up and down the country. Hopefully helping them on the way to dealing with their challenges and achieving their ambitions.

The 30 under 30 campaign is a great initiative for those high performers and rising stars in our industry. Helping and supporting the next generation of industry professions to continue the legacy of supporting home ownership is so important to all of us and the clients & customers we serve.

www.skipton.co.uk

John is Client Services Director at award-winning PR agency Square 1 Media. A former journalist, John started writing about mortgages in 2007 at Mortgage Solutions, rising through the ranks to become editor before moving onto the consumer finance website loveMONEY in 2009. After a five-year spell as editor, John went freelance in 2016 and joined Square 1 Media in March 2024.

He has had bylines in the likes of the Sunday Times and the Mirror, as well as working extensively with a host of mortgage industry titles. 

"The mortgage sector is filled with young talent, and this campaign will provide them with the spotlight they deserve. This is about recognising and supporting the next generation of leaders, helping them to steer the mortgage industry into a positive future."

www.square1media.co.uk

Charlotte is Head of Intermediaries at Suffolk Building Society, a top 20 building society specialising in later life, family assisted, expat and self build mortgages. The Society manually underwrites and prides itself on its market-leading criteria, and ability to factor in complex income.

Charlotte is no stranger to mutual lenders, having worked for two societies before joining Suffolk in 2020. An energetic leader, she continually innovates, driving forward change internally, to make significant improvements to both the broker and customer journeys. Another key priority for Charlotte is building relationships with clubs, networks and intermediaries.

Charlotte loves this industry and cannot imagine working outside of it. A particular passion is the later life space and she’s a regular contributor to panels and opinion pieces on this topic. Under Charlotte’s leadership in 2025 the Society won the Financial Reporter Building Society/Mutual of the Year, was judged a 5-star lender in the Smart Money People Lender Benchmark Survey, and was a later life lender finalist at the L&G Mortgage Club Awards.

Outside of work, Charlotte loves cooking up a storm in the kitchen, adding running miles to her Strava account, redecorating, and damage limitation around Labrador Paddy’s latest obsession.

“In an industry where, so often, experience matters, I’m all about giving younger entrants to the industry their first break. Someone took a chance on me when I landed my first BDM role at the age of 26 and I haven’t forgotten this. Just four years later I was a Head of Intermediaries at Suffolk.

“We need younger people joining the industry and progressing through it. They have fresh ideas and aren’t afraid to challenge the status quo. I love that Financial Reporter’s 30U30 isn’t just about recognition, it’s about developing talent and aims to be a catalyst for change. To use a northern phrase, in terms of what the industry needs, this is ‘bang on’!”

www.suffolkbuildingsociety.co.uk/

Matt is Sales Director at Nottingham Building Society, where he leads a growing team focused on supporting brokers across the country. He’s responsible for the overall distribution strategy, deepening key intermediary relationships and helping shape new mortgage propositions that meets the needs of today’s diverse borrower landscape.

Matt joined Nottingham Building Society in February 2023 from LiveMore, and has previously worked as a Mortgage Adviser at Clifton Mortgages, as well as holding senior roles at Legal & General, Bank of Ireland, Aviva plc, and RSA.

www.thenottingham.com

Tanya Elmaz is an experienced financial services professional with 20 years of extensive specialist lending and market knowledge.

Tanya began her career as a business development manager covering Central and Greater London. Tanya is now Managing Director of Intermediary Sales, responsible for leading and managing the field sales team.

Tanya has the experience and knowledge, across the regulated and unregulated sectors, to add value to broker relationships directly through education. She also supports the sales channel in providing straightforward lending solutions to intermediary partners.

Tanya is a bridging expert and takes pride in being to offer solutions in complex scenarios.

togethermoney.com

Matt has been part of the financial services industry since 2004, building a strong track record across a range of customer-facing and strategic roles. He began his career as a Banking Associate, quickly progressing into Business Development and National Account Manager positions at Lloyds Banking Group before moving across to Clydesdale Bank and Virgin Money in 2018. These roles gave him a deep understanding of client needs, relationship management, and the evolving dynamics of the UK mortgage and lending landscape.

Now serving as Head of National Accounts at Clydesdale Bank and Virgin Money, Matt leads key partnerships and drives strategy across network and club relationships.

Passionate about supporting emerging talent and driving positive change in the industry, Matt is proud to be involved in initiatives like the Financial Report 30 Under 30 campaign - helping to spotlight the next generation of leaders making an impact early in their careers.

“It’s a real privilege to be supporting the  Financial Report 30 Under 30 campaign. It’s such a great initiative that shines a light on the next generation of talent in financial services - people who are already making a real difference in their roles. It’s exciting to help recognise and celebrate the energy, innovation, and leadership these young professionals bring to the industry.”

uk.virginmoney.com

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. I have 20 years mortgage industry experience, opening Xpress mortgages in 2006.

Specialising in Residential and Buy to let Mortgages with associated mortgage protection, we ensure our clients optimise their property aspirations. We work with a wide cross-section of clients ranging from first time buyers to clients who have over 250 properties. I oversee our landlord clients, purchasing both in personal names and within Limited companies. Properties are as wide and varied as our clients, ranging from standard flats and houses to HMO - Houses in multiple occupancy and MUB (Multi unit blocks) as well as semi commercial properties.

xpressmortgages.co.uk