The Mortgage Introducer Awards' Lifetime Achievement Award winner on the sector’s qualities
The mortgage industry is defined by ‘a shared camaraderie and a mutual respect’, according to Vic Jannels (pictured), the winner of The Lifetime Achievement Award at The Mortgage Introducer Awards 2024.
Nowhere could this have been more apparent than the Awards gala evening at London’s prestigious venue 8 Northumberland Avenue.
Just a stone’s throw from a statue of Lord Nelson in Trafalgar Avenue, the spectacular event highlighted a roll call of modern day heroes, in the mortgage industry.
Darren Deacon, head of intermediary sales, at Family Building Society, said he was “absolutely bowled over” to accept the Mortgage Advice Bureau Award for Mortgage Lender of the Year award, against some illustrious competition.
“This was the icing on the cake where we’ve had a record year of applications and completions,” said Deacon. “We’re heading into 2025 with ambitious lending targets and will continue to deliver innovative criteria and products through our close cooperation with our intermediary partners and their customers.”
Jannels’ win topped off a superb evening of celebration, where the sector’s very best were rewarded for their contributions to the business. As CEO of the Bridging & Development Lenders Association (BDLA), Jannels was clearly moved by his accolade.
“Winning this award is an incredibly humbling experience,” Jannels (pictured) told Mortgage Introducer. “It’s a rare opportunity to pause and reflect on the journey I’ve been fortunate to have in this industry. This feels like a celebration of a career’s worth of contributions, challenges overcome, and relationships built. To be honoured in this way means a great deal.”
Jannels has had a long and varied career in the industry. After a five-year term in the RAF he joined the then Provincial Building Society. Latterly, he worked at Citibank, and his career has included roles as director of the Association of Mortgage Intermediaries, executive chairman of Impact Specialist Finance and his role at The Association of Short Term Lenders, now BDLA – all celebrated before a clearly impressed Awards ceremony audience.
“The warmth from the crowd was genuinely overwhelming,” said Jannels. “To feel that kind of respect and appreciation from peers, colleagues, and even competitors in the industry, was a moment I’ll never forget. It reminded me that while we’re all working hard in our respective spaces, there’s a shared camaraderie and mutual respect that defines the mortgage and lending sector.”
For Jannels, there are a few key lessons he has learned during his career, including the value of relationships.
“This industry is built on trust, and maintaining integrity and honesty will always set you apart,” Jannels said. “Second, adaptability is crucial - markets evolve, regulations change, and staying open to learning is vital. Lastly, never to forget the end customer. Our customers are the reason we're here and should be at the heart of every decision.”
Read more: Get nominating for The Scottish Mortgage Awards
Celebrating the industry’s established and rising stars
The Mortgage Introducer Awards showcases a breadth of talent and experience in the industry – and while it celebrates career-long achievements, it also recognises those who are on the way up. Joanna Connelly, mortgage consultant at The Mortgage Mum picked up The Scottish Building Society Award for Rising Star (Broker or Distributor).
“It's an incredible honour to be even nominated but to be awarded is a recognition of all the hard work I have done over the last two years,” Connelly said, “especially as I came into the industry without previous experience.
“I could only dream of being a winner of such a prestigious award two years ago. For my first mortgage industry awards, Mortgage Introducer set the bar very high, with such a beautiful venue. It was a pleasure to meet so many well-known people in the industry, I am looking forward to the next event.”
The evening got underway with a sparkling cocktail party, where crowds of industry professionals assembled, dressed in their finest, setting the tone for a truly special evening. This was followed by a wonderful dinner and the all-important awards presentations, where the awardees’ names were finally revealed.
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For Crystal Specialist Finance, its award as Specialist Broker of the Year was thrilling.
“It’s a fantastic recognition of our team's dedication and focus on achieving clear and successful customer outcomes in specialist finance,” said Jason Berry, group sales director. “With 2025 on the horizon, we anticipate a strong year ahead, fuelled by growing investor confidence, increasing demand for flexible financing solutions, and market resilience in the bridging, commercial, and buy-to-let sectors, when we believe that economic conditions will stabilise, and opportunities for property investment and development finance will expand.”
To see a full list of the winners, and to sign up to be notified when nominations open for next year’s competition, please go to the official Mortgage Introducer Awards website.
The Awards Commemorative Guide will be available in February 2025.
