"Ensuring we have all the resources required within the business in order to support our adviser partners, and to help us move forward as a lender, has been a key focus over the last few months"
In January, seven new experienced underwriters have been employed, and over the past few months a number of new underwriting assistants, processing team members and completions staff have joined. Since September last year, Foundation’s new business team numbers have grown by 45%, with many staff remotely recruited and working across the UK.
Foundation’s sales team has also been boosted with a number of new starters and promotions for existing staff. In January the lender brought two new internal BDMs on board and a new sales support team member, while two IBDMs have been promoted to the role of regional account managers.
David Wheatley and Patrick Ogrigri have been promoted to RAMs and will be looking after intermediaries in London and South Central respectively.
In January, Sarah Wade was also promoted to head of marketing.
The new recruitment means that, by the end of January, total headcount at Foundation will be up 17% versus the same point last year.
George Gee, commercial director at Foundation Home Loans, said: “Ensuring we have all the resources required within the business in order to support our adviser partners, and to help us move forward as a lender, has been a key focus over the last few months, and we’ll continue to recruit and promote as required across all teams.
“The next couple of months will undoubtedly be busy from a completions perspective as we work to ensure as many cases as possible can complete before the stamp duty deadline, but we certainly don’t view this as a temporary arrangement.
“2020 was a highly successful year for Foundation and, as a result, our lending ambitions have grown for 2021. It’s why we’ve also increased the numbers and experience within our underwriting and sales team to support the ongoing demand that advisers are seeing in the specialist residential and buy-to-let sectors.
“We are also very pleased to announce the promotions of both David and Patrick as new regional account managers. Each have developed incredibly strong levels of knowledge and experience working within Foundation as IBDMs and we believe they will be a huge asset, not just to our sales performance, but also to the advisers they’ll now be working with.
“In addition, we are delighted to announce the promotion of Sarah Wade, our new head of marketing, who with a wealth of specialist mortgage marketing experience will now be leading Foundation’s marketing.
“Overall, and even with the difficult circumstances brought about by the pandemic, Foundation has the resources and operation to support advisers and their clients, and we are constantly reviewing how we work to ensure the best possible service and experience for all who use us.”
