FR: You’ve recently joined Dudley Building Society as head of intermediary relations. What attracted you to the role, and how have your first few weeks been?
It was a great opportunity to use my experience to support a progressive and growing business like Dudley and it’s been a really productive start, which was important to me coming into the role. I spent 24 years at my previous organisation, so when you step into something new like this, you want to draw a clear line under what has gone before and fully commit to what is next. For me, that meant getting out early and speaking to as many people internally as possible from day one, rather than sitting back and waiting for things to come to me.
Intermediary relations touches on so many parts of the business, from my own team through to marketing, credit risk, change, and even legal, so those early conversations really matter. I have taken a lot of guidance from Rob Oliver, our distribution director, on who I need to be close to, and it has been reassuring to see just how open and approachable everyone has been. That willingness to work together has definitely stood out.
Alongside all of that, getting the announcement of my new position out to the market was invaluable. I have been genuinely pleased by the response. Hearing from brokers and peers wishing me well has been a timely reminder of just how relationship-driven this sector still is, and how much that still counts.
FR: How would you describe your role day-to-day, and where does intermediary relations sit within the wider business?
Day-to-day, there is no single, neat rhythm, and that is probably the reality of the role. A lot depends on what the business is focused on at any given time. Right now, a major priority is the future mortgage originations platform, which is a significant piece of work for us and one that cuts across a lot of teams.
Because of that, my role is very much about making sure the intermediary voice is represented throughout those discussions. Ultimately, the aim is straightforward. We want to make Dudley easier to do business with, both internally and externally, and that has to be reflected in how decisions are made.
When the platform goes live, it will support brokers by making processes simpler and more convenient. At the same time, it gives us a foundation to grow into new areas and introduce new propositions over time. That balance between supporting what we do today and preparing for what comes next is really where intermediary relations sits within the business.
FR: Dudley has a strong reputation for human underwriting and case-by-case assessment. From an intermediary point of view, why does that still matter in today’s market?
From an intermediary perspective, human underwriting still matters because that is how cases tend to arrive. They are not always neat, and they do not always behave in the way a system expects them to. What brokers value is knowing that someone is actually looking at the full picture, rather than a case being pushed through a set of automated rules and stopping there.
Over the last few years in particular, affordability pressures have changed how cases are presented. Income is more layered than it used to be, and circumstances are often less straightforward. In that sort of environment, having an underwriter who is willing to take the time to understand what sits behind the numbers is vital.
In my opinion, that approach leads to better, more honest conversations with clients. It allows options to be explored properly, rather than cases being ruled out too early simply because they do not fit a standard outcome.
FR: You’ve spent much of your career working closely with brokers. What do you think intermediaries value most from a lender relationship right now?
For me, it comes back to service, in the broadest sense of the word. That might mean speed, clarity, consistency, or accessibility, depending on the case sitting on a broker’s desk at that moment.
While the market is moving in a more stable direction, brokers are still dealing with changing client needs. That could be first-time buyers struggling with deposits, landlords adapting to regulatory change, or borrowers with more complex income structures.
What intermediaries want is a lender that understands those pressures and can respond in a practical way. Look, not every case will fit, but knowing where the boundaries are, and being able to talk things through, makes a real difference.
FR: Communication comes up time and again in broker feedback. What does good communication actually look like in practice at Dudley?
It starts with being available and approachable. Brokers need to know who to speak to and feel that picking up the phone is worth their time.
Good communication is also about setting expectations clearly. If something can be done, we explain how. If it cannot, we explain why. That level of openness helps brokers manage their own client relationships more effectively.
My role is to keep those feedback loops active, bringing what brokers are telling us back into the business and making sure it feeds into decision-making wherever possible.
FR: Dudley has been clear about supporting borrowers who do not always fit a standard mould, including skilled workers and more complex cases. How important is that part of the proposition for you?
It is a really important part of what we do and something I feel strongly about. The skilled worker proposition, in particular, supports a group of borrowers who have often found it difficult to access lending, despite having strong income and long-term prospects.
Looking ahead, that links closely with areas like new-build, where a significant proportion of buyers may be skilled workers or foreign nationals, depending on geography. More broadly, it reflects Dudley’s willingness to look beyond headline criteria and focus on what sits at the heart of individual circumstances.
FR: How do you balance consistency in criteria with the flexibility brokers often need?
Consistency is important, but flexibility is what allows us to respond to real-world situations. The balance comes from being clear about the guardrails, while still remaining open to discussion.
Within our criteria there are often nuances that can open up pathways. Encouraging brokers to pick up the phone and talk to us is key, because those conversations often uncover solutions that might not be immediately obvious.
FR: Looking ahead to the rest of the year, what should intermediaries expect from Dudley in terms of engagement, support, or changes behind the scenes?
They should expect greater visibility and more direct engagement. I will be spending a lot of time out with brokers, listening to what they are seeing on the ground and feeding that back into the business.
Behind the scenes, the new originations platform will be a key enabler, helping us improve service levels and support future proposition development. Alongside that, there is ongoing work across limited company buy-to-let, shared ownership, and later life lending, all of which remain firmly on the agenda.
Throughout all of this, the focus will stay on making Dudley easier to work with and more responsive to intermediary needs.
FR: Finally, for brokers who have not yet placed a case with Dudley Building Society, what would you say to encourage that first conversation?
I would simply encourage them to talk to us. We have a broad range of propositions and a strong appetite for complex income and nuanced cases. Our team is there to help brokers understand where we can support their clients and how our criteria work in practice. Those first conversations often lead to outcomes people do not necessarily expect.
