Shawbrook’s New to the Pride: December

By Bridging Loan Directory 17th December 2013

Christmas is nearly upon us, but the lions of the Shawbrook Pride (our brokers) aren’t feeling the chill. In fact, a number of them are basking in more sunshine than ever as they are welcomed into Shawbrook’s Strategic Partner programme. So, as a Christmas special, this month’s ‘New to the Pride’ looks at a broker who has joined the ranks of the Strategic Partners – gaining processing and marketing benefits, as well as a higher commission structure in the process.

And the broker New to the Strategic Partner Pride is…

….Simon Purdom of Commercial Financial Services. Here’s what he had to say about working with Shawbrook:

“I first came to know of Shawbrook Bank when I spotted their stall at an expo, and got talking to the Commercial Mortgages team. I was particularly attracted by the emphasis they put on responsible lending. Pre-financial crisis we saw a fair bit of bad behaviour in this regard, but – having worked on the lending side myself earlier on in my career – I’ve always been a firm believer in carrying out a thorough assessment of every applicant before presenting them to a lender. This ensures that the client’s model is sustainable and that none of the interested parties will run into trouble later down the line. Ultimately, I know a good deal when I see one and I won’t waste a lender’s or my own time submitting a case that I don’t think can be seen through to completion.

Shawbrook’s loan application process is therefore a good fit for me, as I will already have obtained the necessary details and paperwork. I actually fill in my applications at the same time as my AIPs to save time later down the line – that’s the strength of my conviction in any cases I submit, and 9 times out of 10 I will already have all the required information to hand.

Hailing from Newcastle, I pride myself on being straight-talking and I appreciate the same directness and honesty in a lender. I treat myself, Shawbrook’s sales desk and my BDM Tom Clark like we’re all members of one team. We all want the same thing, and I greatly value their opinion; an important part of that is being able to argue and debate the point on particular cases. I see myself as being a bit of an iconoclast, and I’m not afraid to suggest changes and improvements when I think it will help our team as a whole. I appreciate Shawbrook’s flexibility, therefore, and the capacity to talk to the decision-makers directly. I’ve never found Tom, Terry, Stuart or any of the team to be anything less than available and approachable. Even when a deal has been rejected (and I’m pleased to say this is a very rare occurrence, although I’m working on making it something that never happens!) we can always discuss why it is, and in some instances turn the decision around. It’s always a dialogue, and that’s something I prize highly.

Relationships are the most important aspect of my business, and having good relationships with lenders is the key way in which I bring value to a client’s deal. I’m really glad to have been made a Strategic Partner, not least because it will strengthen that relationship with Shawbrook even further.”

Tom Clark, Business Development Manager, Commercial Mortgages, Shawbrook Bank, had this to say about Commercial Financial Services becoming a Strategic Partner:

“When I sat down with Simon to discuss a deal for the first time, I realised immediately we’d get on well. Simon is extremely experienced, and the deals he submits reflect this – he never rings up with a case on a wing and a prayer. He’s completed on a significant number of cases since working with us, and he has several more in the pipeline at the moment – from a property investor needing short term finance, to a sitting tenant wishing to purchase their fancy dress shop. What sets Simon apart, however, is not the volume but the quality of his deals.

Simon combines a wealth of experience with the energy of a spring chicken! He loves his work and he really puts the hours in – working long and hard to push through the deals he believes in so fervently. We speak on the phone every other day usually, and at the end of our conversations he will always go away and get whatever it is he needs to present his case even more strongly, such as evidence which mitigates any risk we had detected. It is to his great credit that he really does listen to feedback.

On top of this, he has great relationships with his clients and with the introducers he uses on some cases. Relationships are very important to Simon – just as they are to Shawbrook – and this is one of the things that makes us such a good team. As a BDM, whenever you bring a new broker on board you have to learn to trust and listen to them and they learn to trust and listen to you. With Simon that relationship is now pretty much set in stone. His appointment as a strategic partner is both unsurprising and well-deserved.”

Which just leaves the all-important question: if Commercial Financial Services was a biscuit which variety would you be? Simon said:

“I’d be an amaretto biscuit – adding value to deals like amaretti add flavour to coffee…”

Have what it takes? To find out more about joining the Shawbrook Pride call us on 01277 751111 or email cm.broker@shawbrook.co.uk