Mortgage broker sees enormous growth in a quarter of a century
Mortgage broker SPF Private Clients is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the business this month, recounting the growth that it has achieved since its establishment in May 1997 as Savills Private Finance.
Starting out as the financial arm of Savills PLC, it has since expanded to become a national mortgage broker with offices across the UK, as well as offering insurance and wealth management advice.
The original launch team of six has grown to 200 employees, including 77 mortgage brokers, 28 on the insurance team, nine in wealth management, and seven in protection. Three members of the original launch team – Mark Harris, Mike Boles and Alex King – are still with the company. Harris is now the chief executive at SPF Private Clients.
SPF was formed in 2011 after a management buyout and rebrand of Savills Private Finance. Cabot Square Capital acquired a majority stake in the business in 2018, while the Howden Group announced the acquisition of SPF last month.
Read more: Howden swoops on award-winning mortgage broker SPF Private Clients.
Today, SPF is a financial services intermediary specialising in residential and commercial mortgage broking, commercial real estate insurance, high-net-worth personal lines insurance, property title insurance, life assurance, and associated wealth management consulting.
As well as two London offices, SPF also has offices in Cambridge, Oxford, Bath, Manchester and Guernsey.
“We have enjoyed an incredible 25 years. Very early into our journey, we decided to create a diversified business, which has enabled us to build the unique company we have today. It has also helped us navigate our way largely unscathed through three once-in-a-lifetime events – the credit crisis, Brexit and Covid,” Harris said.
“Our strength is in the sum of the parts and the hugely talented people who work at SPF, many of whom have been here for a large part of our 25 years. It remains my absolute privilege to head this business and I remain as excited today, leading us into the Howden Group, as I was 25 years ago when I first walked into Savills.”
