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What has changed in your role since the merger of Vantage and Enterprise Finance into Aria Finance?
My role hasn’t changed much, although I’ve spent the last five months making sure the merger goes as smoothly and efficiently as possible.
The big challenge for me and my senior team will now be to further develop the brand and ensure that Aria becomes as respected in the market as Vantage and Enterprise.
There have been brokers in the past who worked with Vantage rather than Enterprise and vice versa.
Ultimately, we are here to make life easier for brokers.
The most interesting thing is that we have all the experience of both brands under one roof, which is very convenient for customers.
What is the biggest challenge you face in your role?
Merging two firms is always a difficult task, especially if both of them have achieved great success. Often different processes and work cultures need to be taken into account, and trade-offs must be made to ensure success.
However, I am delighted with how everyone has embraced the idea of Aria and everything we stand for.
Security measures are important, so it is about finding creative solutions within the parameters of the regulatory regime.
What is the highlight of your career to date?
I am incredibly proud of my accomplishments as Managing Director of Vantage Finance. I started the business from scratch and I remember feeling completely down when we were 10 years old.
Subsequently, we sold a minority stake to a private equity firm and then were acquired by the ENRA Group, so there were many highlights.
I’m in awe of how everyone has embraced the idea of Aria and everything we stand for.
It has been a great pleasure to watch the journey that my employees have gone through. Many have joined us with little to no industry experience and have grown into hugely successful real estate finance experts.
What would you change in the mortgage market?
There is still a perception outside of the industry that the market is lagging behind other sectors when it comes to digital adoption and customer service upgrades.
It will be a challenging year, but the need for specialized lending solutions is more important than ever.
However, we have seen huge changes in recent years as lenders and brokers invest in new IT systems and digital infrastructure.
Regulation can sometimes hold back technological progress. But these guarantees are important, so it’s about finding creative solutions within the parameters of the regulatory regime to ensure smoother ways of working and a better customer experience.
What are Aria’s plans for the next 12 months?
We are firmly committed to business development and continue to build Aria’s credibility and reputation as a leading specialist broker. We have every reason to do so, and we look forward to the next leg of this journey.
We have all the experience of both brands under one roof, which is very convenient for customers.
This will be a tough year for the market, but in such a challenging environment, the need for specialized lending solutions is more important than ever.
The brokers’ residential business is likely to be affected by availability issues, so if we can help them find deals in other areas, we can alleviate some of the burden. Ultimately, we are here to make their lives easier.
Do you think there has been significant progress towards achieving gender equality in the financial sector?
Significant progress has been made, but more remains to be done. We need to change people’s perspectives on the perceived limitations women face and encourage them to open their minds to new ways of thinking.
The challenge now is to continue to grow the brand and ensure that Aria becomes as respected in the marketplace as Vantage and Enterprise.
Barriers are often not at the entry level. For many women, they appear later; when they start a family, for example. This is where much of the inequality lies, and it’s not just a problem for the financial sector, but for all industries. This is a challenge for society and we need to think about how the workplace can help solve this problem.
If you weren’t in finance, what other career would you choose?
I would probably work somewhere in the real estate market, perhaps in renovation and development. This is an industry that I know, understand and love.
What’s the best advice you’ve received?
It’s simple, but important: don’t worry about the little things.
Year of foundation: 2002 (Enterprise Finance)
Number: 50
Address: Edward Hyde Building, 38 Clarendon Rd, Watford WD17 1JW
Web site: www.ariafinance.co.uk
Aria Finance provides fast and flexible access to the specialized UK financial market. This is an amalgamation of two large brokerage companies: Enterprise Finance and Vantage Finance.
This article was published in the March 2023 issue of MS Magazine.
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