The awards – formerly the myintroducer.com Industry Awards – are now in their fourth year and attracted votes from more than 3,500 members of the industry, an increase on last year’s number.
It is the only financial services awards programme that is based purely on the majority vote. The organisation or candidate who receives the most nominations wins; no panel of judges are used to pick the winners- the industry decides.
The winners are:
Best Short Term/Bridging Broker (sponsored by Masthaven Bridging Finance)
1st: Brightstar Financial
2nd: SPF Private Clients
Best Secured Loan Broker/Packager (Sponsored by Blemain Group)
1st: Loans Warehouse
2nd: The Lending Wizard
Best Specialist Lender
1st: Blemain
2nd: Castle Trust
Best Mortgage Lender (Sponsored by AToM)
1st: Nationwide
2nd: Halifax
Best Insurance Provider (Sponsored by Mortgage Advice Bureau)
1st: Legal and General
2nd: Bright Grey
Most Innovative Marketing (Sponsored by Norton Finance)
1st: Loans Warehouse
2nd: Mortgage Advice Bureau
Best Short Term/Bridging Lender
1st: MT Finance
2nd: Masthaven
Best Secured Loan Lender (Sponsored by LoansWarehouse)
1st: Shawbrook Bank
2nd: Nemo
Best Mortgage Packager (Sponsored by Cheshire Mortgage Corporation)
1st: Brighstar Financial
2nd: AToM
Best Mortgage Network (Sponsored by Berkeley Alexander)
1st: Homeloan Partnership
2nd: Mortgage Advice Bureau
Best Surveyors
1st: Metropolis Surveyors LLP
2nd: Pure Panel Management
Best Commercial/BTL Broker (Sponsored by MT Finance)
1st: London & Country
2nd: Brightstar Financial
Best Equity Release Lender
1st: More 2 Life
2nd: Aviva
Best Mortgage Broker
1st: London & Country
2nd: Mortgage Advice Bureau
Best Debt Solutions Provider
1st: Ashley Park Debt Solutions
2nd: The Debt Advisor
Best Sourcing System
1st: Trigold
2nd: Mortgage Brain
Best Commercial/BTL Lender (Sponsored by www.propertyreporter.co.uk)
1st: Paragon
2nd: Shawbrook Bank
2013's Most Influential Person (Sponsored by borro)
Peter Brodnicki - Mortgage Advice Bureau
Lifetime Achievement Award (Sponsored by Evolution Money)
David Johnson – Shawbrook Bank
James Lucas, Managing Director at Financial Reporter, said:
"Once again the response has been absolutely overwhelming and clearly demonstrates that our readers want excellence in our industry to be recognised. I would like to say a huge thanks to everyone who was involved especially our fantastic sponsors, everyone who voted and of course, our category winners and runners up.
"Congratulations must go to all our winners and runners up in what was a very close run in for many of the award categories and we look forward to continued growth for the awards programme and for Financial Reporter in 2014."
Paul Clampin, Director of Underwriting at Paragon, said:
"We are delighted to have won the award for Best Commercial/Buy-to-Let Lender, particularly as this has been voted for by our peers within the industry. Paragon is an experienced buy-to-let lender, providing competitive products to both private investor landlords and professional landlords with more complex rental propositions. It is great to be recognised for our expertise within the market place."
Lee Schofield, Broker Account Manager at Ashley Park Financial Solutions, commented:
"On behalf of everyone at Ashley Park, I would like to say thank you to everyone who voted for us. I must also thank every single member of staff who continuously go over and above what is expected of them to provide a first rate service to all our clients."
David Hollingworth, Associate Director (Communications) at London & Country Mortgages, said:
“We’re absolutely over the moon to have picked up awards for both Best Broker and Best Buy-to-Let broker. Everyone here has worked hard to not only maintain but also improve our proposition in what remains a tight, if improving, market. We’re therefore delighted and proud that the efforts of the L&C staff has been recognised with these two awards.”
Peter Brodnicki, Chief Executive of Mortgage Advice Bureau, said:
“I am delighted to have won the award for the year’s most influential person, so thank you to everybody that took the trouble to vote for me. It has been an exciting 12 months for MAB in terms of key strategic acquisitions, and it also been a record breaking year for mortgage and protection sales. 2nd place in 3 of the Financial Reporter’s other award categories is recognition that MAB must be doing something right, and we will continue to invest and innovate in 2013 and hopefully challenge for the top spot again next year.”
Tomer Aboody Director at MT Finance said:
“We are genuinely delighted to receive this recognition directly from the brokers and introducers in the industry and wish to thank them for all their support.”
Matt Tristram, Director of Secured Loan Broker, Loans Warehouse, said:
“We have been proud to be associated with the Financial Reporter Industry Awards since their introduction in 2010. They have given great recognition to the secured loan industry when most other industry awards forgot about us…
“We're proud to receive our 8th & 9th awards this year and especially pleased to retain our title of Best Secured Loan Broker for the 4th year running.”