As the South Asian Mortgage Professionals and Allies Network celebrates its first birthday, its mission is moving from conversation to action: creating visible role models, widening access to careers and helping more South Asian consumers see home ownership as achievable.
SAMPAN was created to champion South Asian talent, support those already building careers in mortgages and protection, and encourage more people from underrepresented communities to see financial services as a place where they can belong, progress and lead.
The network, was co-founded by Gurpreet Chahal, Paul Purewal and Dina Bhudia, who shared a common ambition to create a stronger platform for South Asian professionals, allies and consumers across the mortgage market.
SAMPAN is also about improving understanding of the South Asian customer experience, including the cultural, family and financial dynamics that can shape the path to home ownership. From intergenerational living to family-supported deposits, language confidence and trust in advice, the network believes the industry has an opportunity to serve communities better by listening more closely and reflecting them more clearly.
A first year focused on connection
SAMPAN’s first year has centred on creating spaces where people can be seen, heard and supported. Its launch event in London, supported by Lloyds, brought professionals together from across lenders, brokers, distributors and wider industry firms, creating an environment where lived experience, ambition and allyship could be discussed openly.
The second event in Solihull took the conversation into the Midlands, a region with deep South Asian roots and a strong connection to the communities SAMPAN wants the industry to understand and support. Supported by Paragon, Skipton for Intermediaries and Dudley Building Society, that event built on the launch by focusing on personal development, attracting new South Asian talent into the sector and sharing authentic stories from people already navigating careers in the market.
The events aim to show that representation is not a side issue - it is part of how the industry builds trust, attracts talent, develops future leaders and reaches customers who may not always feel that mainstream financial services fully understands their needs.
Why the network matters
The mortgage industry is built on relationships, advice and trust. If the people delivering that advice do not reflect the diversity of the UK, and if firms do not fully understand the communities they serve, the sector risks missing both a social responsibility and a commercial opportunity.
For many South Asian families, home ownership carries deep significance. It can represent security, sacrifice, family progress and generational achievement. Yet the journey to owning a home can be shaped by factors the industry does not always recognise well enough: multi-generational households, complex income structures, family contributions, cultural expectations and a reluctance in some communities to seek formal advice early.
SAMPAN wants to help close that gap. Its goal is to create better visibility inside the industry, stronger confidence among professionals and wider cultural understanding across firms. That means helping people progress, helping allies engage meaningfully and helping the sector build products, processes and conversations that feel more accessible to customers from diverse backgrounds.
From events to movement
As SAMPAN enters its second year, the focus is on turning early momentum into sustained impact. A planned webinar series will open the conversation to a wider audience, making insight, discussion and practical support more accessible to people who cannot always attend in person events.
The series is expected to cover themes that matter to both professionals and customers, including career progression, role models, allyship, community engagement, inclusive advice and the practical barriers that can affect South Asian consumers on the route to home ownership.
Gurpreet Chahal, co-founder of SAMPAN, said: “SAMPAN was created because we could see both a gap and an opportunity. We wanted to build something that gave South Asian professionals in our industry greater visibility, confidence and connection, while also helping the wider market better understand the communities we serve. One year on, I am proud of what has been achieved, but this feels like the start of something much bigger. The next phase is about turning conversation into action and working across the industry to create lasting change.”
Paul Purewal co-founder of SAMPAN, commented: “I’m pleased and proud that what started as an initial informal conversation has grown to what SAMPAN has achieved in its first year. A growing community that has brought together people from across the industry to engage, collaborate, learn and develop. The feeling of relatability, comfort and understanding has been a clear takeaway from the events along with a continued ask of what’s next. It’s exciting when I consider how SAMPAN will look to support its existing and future members with their career ambitions and unlock opportunities for those that seek the benefit of continued collaboration.”
Sonya Matharu, SAMPAN member, said: “Growing up, I think I always had a slightly complicated relationship with my South Asian identity. I never really felt ‘South Asian enough’ to have a voice in conversations about representation, so being part of SAMPAN has meant more to me than I probably expected. What Gurps and the team have created is a space where you don’t have to fit into a particular box. It brings together South Asian mortgage professionals and allies, and creates room for really open conversations about our experiences, our industry and where we still need to make progress. I think that sense of community and belonging is what makes SAMPAN so important, and I’m really excited to see what comes next.”
