The financial services arm of the business is undergoing a revamp and has a new working title of BuildStore Finance.
Donald, whose expertise lies within the intermediary mortgage market, joins BuildStore following a career spanning 27 years in financial services. For the last four years, he was based in Brussels, as a Managing Director at boutique Belgian Investment Bank, Petercam SA, responsible for the development of specialist mortgage funding for European banking partners.
Prior to this, Donald spent four years with Bank of Scotland, initially as head of business development within the mortgage division where he was a spokesman for the mortgage business, and later as head of e-commerce. During his time at BOS, Donald developed one of the UK's first flexible chequebook mortgages, Personal Choice. He also led the bank's equity release strategy and the shared appreciation mortgage 'effectively kick started the modern era of such products'.
Until recently, Raymond Connor, founder and Chief Executive of BuildStore was responsible for managing BuildStore in its entirety but has now deputised Donald to grow BuildStore Finance and increase its intermediary business.
Raymond Connor says: "It has been a challenge to find the right person to help lead BuildStore into a new era and we are delighted to welcome Willie into the team. He has a unique skill base and his experience, particularly in e-commerce, is a perfect fit for BuildStore's own objectives for taking BuildStore Finance into the next phase of its development and making it a stand-alone profit centre for BuildStore."
BuildStore now has a team of 90 at its Livingston head quarters and expects to double the number of people within the next twelve months, with the advent of its Southern operation, the National Self Build and Home Improvement Centre, Swindon.
