The major role will see Berry take responsibility for FSA-supervised first mortgages for igroup and First National, which includes loans for purchasing and remortgaging. The two lenders also deal in second mortgages, which include secured and second charge loans. A new head of sales for these mortgages will be announced in the next few weeks.
Berry joined GE in 1996 and has had spells as a senior executive in Europe and the US. From 2001 until the present he has been working for GE Consumer Finance in France. In his new role he will join the senior management board and will report to Sean Webb, chief commercial officer at GE Consumer Finance Home Lending.
Previously, the group had two heads of sales with one overlooking both first and second mortgages for igroup while the other took responsibility for first and second mortgages for First National.
Berry’s appointment will see a focus on products rather than brand within the group.
Bob Sturges, head of PR for igroup and First National, said: “This change in appointment will allow us to focus on product delivery for intermediaries whilst offering distribution through the igroup and First National brands. The documentation intermediaries will be using will still be separately branded for igroup and First National.”
GE Consumer Finance Home Lending will also be appointing two new business development managers Daniel Spragg, who has held various roles at building societies and Colin Bailey, who was a partner at a mortgage packager.
