The Accord Mortgages Growth Series Podcast

In episode #134 of the Growth Series podcast's Mortgage Mentors series, Jeremy Duncombe, Managing Director at Accord Mortgage speaks with Clare Beardmore, Director of Legal & General Mortgage Club, about her inspiring rise through the mortgage industry. 

From her early days at Leek United Building Society to her leadership role at L&G,  Clare shares her personal and professional journey shaped by resilienc...

In episode #133 of the Accord Mortgages Growth Series podcast, host Mike Davies, Head of Lending at YBS Commercial Mortgages, speaks with Matthew Martin, Director at Align Property Finance. They explore the changing commercial mortgage market, from the rise of challenger lenders to the importance of building long-term client relationships.

The episode covers how interest rates and sector trends are shaping...

In episode #132 of the Growth Series podcast's Mortgage Mentors series, Jeremy Duncombe, Managing Director at Accord Mortgage chats with James Tucker, CEO of Twenty7Tec, about his journey from stockbroking to leading one of the UK's top mortgage tech firms.

James shares lessons on resilience, leadership and innovation, and how embracing technology and data can future-proof mortgage advice without losing th...

In episode #131 of the Growth Series podcast, host Iain Cunningham, Strategic Partnerships and Propositions Manager at Accord Mortgages, is joined by Liz Syms, CEO and Founder of Connect Mortgages and Connect for Intermediaries. Together, they explore how artificial intelligence is transforming the mortgage industry and what it means for brokers.

Liz shares her journey into AI adoption, from transcription ...

In episode #130 of the Growth Series podcast's Mortgage Mentors series, Jeremy Duncombe, Managing Director at Accord Mortgages speaks with Sidney Wager, Managing Director at L&C Mortgages.

Sidney reflects on his journey to senior leadership, sharing how his upbringing shaped his customer-first values and passion for inclusion. He discusses the impact of early career development programmes in supporting underrepresented colleagues, ...

Warning: This episode discusses economic abuse and domestic abuse, which may be upsetting for some listeners. Please prioritise your well-being while listening.

 In episode #129 of the Growth Series podcast, Andrew Calder engages in a critical conversation about economic abuse in the mortgage industry with Claire Towe, Co-founder of Meet Margo, and Lauren Garrett, Financial Services Lead at Surviving Economic Abuse. Th...

In episode #128 of the Growth Series podcast's Mortgage Mentors series, Jeremy Duncombe, Managing Director at Accord Mortgages, chats with mortgage industry veteran Dev Malle, Chief Business Development Officer at Simplify, whose 35-year career spans lending, broking, and conveyancing. 

Dev shares lessons on resilience, adaptability, and innovation, plus personal stories of trekking adventures and mental h...

In episode #127 of the Growth Series podcast's Mortgage Mentors series, Jeremy Duncombe, Managing Director at Accord Mortgages, welcomes Nicola Alvarez, Head of Strategic Partnerships & Propositions at Accord Mortgages, who shares her extraordinary journey in the mortgage industry, beginning with her start at Nationwide in 1995. Her story is one of resilience, leadership, and a deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

N...

In episode #126 of the Growth Series podcast, host Debjani Bajpai speaks with Kate McTernan, Director at Mortgage Advice Group, about how broker teams can find work-life balance in a demanding and fast-moving mortgage market.

Kate shares practical strategies for managing workload, staying present for family life, and leading high-performing teams. With over 20 years in financial services and first-hand exp...

In episode #125 of the Growth Series podcast's Mortgage Mentors series, Jeremy Duncombe, Managing Director at Accord Mortgages, speaks with Louisa Sedgwick, Managing Director of Mortgages at Paragon Banking Group PLC, as she shares her inspiring rise from a Youth Training Scheme to senior roles at major institutions, offering a powerful story of resilience in a traditionally male-dominated field.

The episode explores the dynamic ch...

In episode #124 of the Growth Series podcast, host Iain Cunningham is joined by cybersecurity expert, Paul Lopez, to discuss the pressing issue of cybersecurity for small businesses, particularly mortgage brokers. Paul, who serves as the Director at The Eastern Cyber Resilience Centre, brings a unique perspective from his extensive background in law enforcement and cybercrime prevention.

The episode highli...

In episode #123 of the Growth Series podcast's Mortgage Mentors series, Jeremy Duncombe, Managing Director at Accord Mortgages, has an insightful conversation with Martin Reynolds, CEO of SimplyBiz. Martin shares his extensive knowledge and experience from over 30 years in the mortgage industry, exploring the challenges and opportunities brokers face today. He reflects on the pivotal moments in his career that have sha...

In episode #122 of the Growth Series podcast, host Kathy Clark is joined by Emma Tomes, Managing Director of The Mental Health People, and together, they explore the often-overlooked subject of mental health in high-pressure roles like mortgage brokering. Emma shares her personal journey into mental health advocacy following a family tragedy, which led her to create a supportive space for individuals struggling with me...

In episode #121 of the Growth Series podcast's Mortgage Mentors series, host Jeremy Duncombe speaks with Stephanie Sharman, Chief Executive of the Association of Mortgage Intermediaries. With nearly three decades in the industry, Stephanie shares her personal journey from an admin role at Abbey Life to leading AMI, and how values like diversity, inclusion and sustainability have shaped her leadership.

The ...

In episode #120 of the Growth Series podcast, host Nicola Alvarez sits down with Chloe Timperley from the Green Finance Institute and Matt Coulson from Heron Financial to explore the rapidly evolving world of green mortgages. 

They discuss the innovative certification initiative by the Green Finance Institute, designed to empower brokers with the knowledge and confidence needed to navigate the green mortga...

In this episode of the Growth Series podcast, host Iain Cunningham sits down with Joe Milton, Director of Training and Competence at Alexander Hall, to explore the transformative shift toward hybrid working in the mortgage industry, the importance of maintaining strong team connections and adapting mentoring strategies to suit a hybrid environment. Joe emphasises the value of in-office presence for new advisors to buil...

In episode #118 of the Growth Series podcast's Mortgage Mentors series, host Jeremy Duncombe interviews Danielle Moore, Operations Director at AE3 Media. With nearly two decades in the mortgage industry, Danielle has become a transformative leader in a traditionally male-dominated field. Her journey from studying history in Bristol to excelling in financial services and media offers valuable insights for brokers. 

In this insightful episode of the Accord Growth Series podcast, Jeremy Duncombe sits down with Charles Roe from UK Finance and Rob Thomas Rob Thomas from the Intermediate Mortgage Lenders Association to explore the UK mortgage market's performance in 2024 and the outlook for 2025. The episode begins by examining how the market surpassed expectations, achieving £242 billion in outcomes due to strong purchase lending and...

Meet ballet dancer turned banking figurehead, Esther Dijkstra, Managing Director for Lloyds Banking Group as she joins us on the second episode of Mortgage Mentors, hosted by Jeremy Duncombe. 

From Esther's humble beginnings in a Dutch village to becoming a global leader in the mortgage industry, this episode will take you through the pivotal milestones in Esther's career, exploring topics of resilience, adaptability, current mark...