Belmont Green appoints former Nemo director

Simon Burnell, head of business development at Nemo Personal Finance until last month, has joined the new challenger mortgage lender Belmont Green Finance to head up second charge sales.

Simon Burnell, head of business development at Nemo Personal Finance until last month, has joined the new challenger mortgage lender Belmont Green Finance to head up second charge sales.

Burnell’s formal title will be director of sales for second mortgages and he will report to sales and marketing director Guy Batchelor.

Burnell said: “I have been closely involved in building post-Mortgage Credit Directive compliant processes whilst at Nemo.

“Now my role at Belmont Green gives me the opportunity to learn from how other lenders and brokers adapt to the post-MCD environment to help refine our proposition and processes for launch.

“I am really excited to be joining a start-up organisation and am looking forward to re-engaging with master brokers over the next few months.”

Batchelor added: "It’s great to have secured Simon for this senior role - he brings a wealth of experience - and we are currently recruiting a similar calibre of person to work alongside him as director of sales for mortgages.”

Burnell first joined the mortgage market in 1995, holding various roles with First National Bank before becoming national sales manager for GE Money from 2004-2010.

After four years in operations for GE Capital, he joined Nemo Personal Finance in January 2014 and helped re-establish the brand, distribution and proposition.

Mark Fry, managing director at Colonial Second Charge Loans, said: “It’s great to see Simon helping to set up a new entrant as he knows what the secured loan market needs post-MCD.

“And from the conversations I’ve had with Belmont Green so far, I think he’s going to be able to put a compelling proposition together for launch.”

Belmont Green moves into new offices in Staines-upon-Thames on 11 April and is currently recruiting a team of experienced mortgage professionals to build a new mortgage lending business which will work exclusively with intermediary partners to target under-served sections of the UK mortgage market.