Paragon Bank has promoted Matt Fulford to Head of Specialist Lending within its Mortgages division, reinforcing its focus on helping brokers place an increasingly broad range of buy-to-let business, from straightforward transactions through to more complex cases.
Reporting to Lisa Steele, Mortgage Lending Director, Matt will lead Paragon's specialist lending proposition and oversee the rollout of the bank's newly established Portfolio Relationship Management (PRM) approach.
Drawing on experience across both sales and credit, he will work closely with brokers, customers and colleagues across the business to ensure the bank continues to identify solutions for landlords' evolving financing needs, including cases where a more tailored approach is required.
The PRM approach has been designed to strengthen relationships with both portfolio landlords and their brokers. The team will work closely with customers throughout the lifecycle of their borrowing, helping Paragon better understand landlords' businesses now and in future, while ensuring brokers remain central to the relationship where an intermediary is involved.
Matt joined Paragon 15 years ago as a mortgage underwriter before moving into the Mortgage Credit team, where he later progressed to lead the function. Prior to joining Paragon, he spent 18 years in the mortgage industry with Halifax and Skipton Building Society across lending, relationship management and business development roles.
Matt Fulford said: "As the buy-to-let market continues to evolve, it's important that we continue to develop our proposition in ways that reflect the increasingly diverse needs of landlords and the brokers who support them.
"The introduction of our Portfolio Relationship Management team is an important part of that strategy. By building stronger, longer-term relationships with landlords and brokers, we'll gain a deeper understanding of their businesses, future plans and funding requirements, helping us shape our approach around the challenges and opportunities they face.
Lisa Steele, Mortgage Lending Director, said: "This promotion is thoroughly deserved and reflects the contribution Matt makes across our mortgage operations function.
"Having played an important role in several areas of our Mortgages business, Matt brings a valuable perspective to the role, helping ensure we continue to develop our proposition in a way that reflects the changing needs of the buy-to-let market
"Leading the PRM team, Matt will provide brokers and their landlord clients with greater access to expertise and support throughout the mortgage term, rather than only at the point a transaction takes place."
