EXCLUSIVE: Lea Karasavvas joins SMP board

Karasavvas started his career in financial services as a compliance auditor at Canada Life, after which he joined John Charcol.

EXCLUSIVE: Lea Karasavvas joins SMP board

Lea Karasavvas (pictured) has joined the board of the Society of Mortgage Professionals (SMP).

 

Karasavvas started his career in financial services as a compliance auditor at Canada Life, after which he joined John Charcol.

From there he moved to Savills, Square Mile Mortgage Finance and then headed up a mortgage team at a local firm in North Finchley, before joining Hamptons International as one of its first self-employed mortgage brokers.

After four years with Hamptons, he went on to First Action Finance, before founding his own company, Prolific Mortgage Finance, in 2010.

Reflecting on his decision to join the SMP board, Karasavvas said: “The Society of Mortgage Professionals is a professional body that I feel has a lot to offer brokers as well as assisting the overall service that clients can expect to receive by conforming to best practice.

"Our job is an ever evolving one, with new tech and changing criteria which has been intensified in the current COVID era of more complex underwriting and a greater need for quality advice than ever.

"I was keen to join the board, as I felt the representation and view of a broker has a key part to play in what the SMP is trying to achieve. It requires an empathy from a broker point of view, an understanding of the good and bad that we see in the industry at the coal face.

"For me, the combination of the broker, lender and network viewpoints should align to create a greater customer experience and help enhance what is already, an incredible industry and one I am proud to be part of.”