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Mortgage Introducer’s Elite Women of 2023 are fostering an industry culture that empowers and encourages other women to thrive by challenging stereotypes and promoting diversity and inclusion.
The 55 women leaders in mortgage being celebrated are genuine role models who see the big picture, formulate strategies and appreciate how their work impacts and motivates others.
“With recognition such as Elite Women, the mortgage market has led the way in bringing more women into the industry,” remarks Liz Syms, vice chair of the Society of Mortgage Professionals and CEO of Connect for Intermediaries. “It’s fantastic to see how many more women there are today at events and in advisory rather than administrative roles.”
Awardee Claire Askham is proud of where she is today after more than 20 years in the mortgage industry, despite the challenges of being in a male-dominated field.
The head of mortgage sales at the Buckinghamshire Building Society has had to put on her “blinkers” and ignore the intimidation from male colleagues, which she attributes to old-school attitudes that make it challenging for women to succeed.
“Don’t get me wrong. There are some fantastic males in the industry that are so supportive and want women to do well,” she explains. “It hasn’t been easy to get to where I am, but I am strong, and I know where I want to go.”
Askham’s nominator for the Elite Woman award describes her as a true leader and all-rounder and notes the following:
“Claire makes time to coach, develop and share her knowledge and experience with her colleagues. She has excelled over the past 12 months by beating targets and driving record results. She champions education as a critical element of her coaching style and is widely recognised as an expert industry spokesperson.”
Like her fellow awardees, Askham gets the “biggest buzz” from helping her team develop their skills and step up the career ladder, particularly in breaking down gender barriers.
“I love to see people enjoying what they’re doing and wanting to do well for themselves,” she says.
With 25 years of experience in the mortgage industry, awardee Joanne Hollins expresses gratitude to her mentors, managers and colleagues who made it clear that being female would have no bearing on achieving her full potential.
“I would encourage everyone to seek out mentorship and continually ask questions, as you will never stop learning or developing regardless of what career level you reach,” says Metro Bank’s head of intermediary mortgage distribution. “I have been extremely lucky to have learned from some of the best in the industry, who supported me and encouraged me to learn.”
Hollins’ three nominators hold her in high esteem and praise her resilience and business acumen:
“The last two years have seen the mortgage market deal with several challenges, but Joanne adapted her leadership skills and identified opportunities that helped Metro Bank become a genuine lender of choice.”
“Joanne has often flown beneath the radar, simply prioritising being effective and successful.”
“She has an incredible passion for her job, her people and the mortgage industry.”
Hollins is a natural planner, and she credits that with helping her develop a clear direction for the teams she leads.
“I am most proud of the fact that I have helped lead Metro Bank’s intermediary mortgage function as it grows into a formidable national firm with an enviable infrastructure, supported by a talented team that I am immensely proud to have nurtured and grown,” she adds.
Pride resonates with awardee Tiba Raja, who founded specialist finance company Market Financial Solutions with her partner and serves as its executive director.
With a background in market data analytics and finance, Raja quickly pivoted to taking the reins on strategy, marketing and business development. Her leadership skills have blossomed, and she and her team have helped fuel the company’s exponential growth.
Her nominator notes that Raja’s passion for helping other women succeed is evident:
“Tiba believes in working alongside others in the industry to provide a united front that pushes for new and innovative approaches to specialist finance.”
Raja’s vision and unwavering dedication to gender diversity and inclusion can most readily be seen in the fact that nearly half of the company’s employees are women, including those in senior management roles.
“I am most proud of my staff and the team that we’ve developed and grown over the years,” she remarks. “Everyone has their strengths. You just need to get those out with encouragement and support.”
Female representation is steadily increasing in the mortgage industry. Still, the awardees and long-time industry experts agree that more work is required for women to reach senior leadership roles.
“One obstacle is often women’s confidence in their abilities, which is usually unfounded,” notes the Society of Mortgage Professionals’ Syms.
This year’s trailblazing female leaders in mortgage offer these words of wisdom to women considering or already working in the industry:
Raja: “Focus on your goal and objective, and don’t get disheartened by setbacks; learn from them. Take it on board and then step forward with the learnings and carry on and don’t look back.”
Askham: “Engage and approach someone about mentoring you to help give you guidance and a broader perspective. Be confident in your ability; don’t let anybody put you down and know you can do it.”
Hollins: “Don’t consider the opportunity; take the opportunity. It is a wonderful industry to work in and offers genuine career prospects for all. I am blessed to work for an amazing company that is fully inclusive, with diversity and inclusion at its core. I think this has permeated the mortgage industry over the last five years, ensuring our industry does provide an opportunity for all.”
Mortgage Introducer invited industry professionals from across the UK to nominate exceptional female role models for the second annual Elite Women list. Nominees had to be working in a role that related to, interacted with, or in some way impacted the industry and should have demonstrated a clear passion for their work.
Nominators were asked to describe the nominee’s standout professional achievements over the past 12 months, initiatives and innovations, and contributions to the mortgage industry.
After a thorough review of all the nominations, the Mortgage Introducer team narrowed down the list to the final 55 Elite Women who have made their mark in the industry.