West One Loans is embarking on a major recruitment drive as part of plans to make significant market share gains in both the residential and second-tier markets.
The company has created two new senior positions under director of residential mortgages and second-line secretary Marie Grundy (pictured).
Grundy will remain responsible for driving the overall strategy for both residential and secondary lending, but will be supported in the day-to-day management of both divisions by Pauline Rylands and Paul Huxter.
Rylands, previously national sales manager, has been appointed head of specialist distribution and will provide dedicated resources and support to packaging partners across both residential mortgages and second charges.
The lender is also recruiting several key account managers to help Rylands deepen relationships with key packers.
Broker support manager Lizzie Fonsecca and her team will continue to support Rylands and will receive additional resources as part of the lender’s expansion plans.
Huxter, previously head of clubs and networks, will become head of intermediary sales and distribution and will oversee a newly created on-field sales team, for which the lender is currently recruiting.
In his new role he will continue to manage West One’s club and network partnerships, but will now also take responsibility for the residential mortgage club and network brokers.
To support him, West One plans to recruit a number of new regional account managers and increase the number of telephone business development managers to support the field team.
The first hire, David Venn, previously national account manager at Tanem Bank, joined this week as regional account manager for the South East. He will work with national account manager Steve Mannakee.
Commenting on the expansion plans, Grundy said: “This is an exciting new chapter in our ambition to drive exponential growth in both our residential mortgage and second mortgage businesses.
“The last 18 months have given us a fantastic opportunity to get to know and test our mortgage proposition, and now the time is right to step on the accelerator.”
She added: “During that time we have worked closely with our brokers to understand their priorities and needs and now we feel we are in a position to expand our offering in this area. In order to do that, we have to grow and that is why we have embarked on such a major recruitment drive.”