The Association of Mortgage Intermediaries (AMI) has added two new broker members to its board.
The trade body has recently been looking to widen the perspective of its Board by adding Practitioner members. These are brokers who spend at least 70% of their time in front of customers. More than a dozen initial enquiries were received and the Board recently considered written submissions from those who felt they could meet the commitments of being a Board member.
Following this process it has been decided that Andrew Montlake from Coreco, based in London, and John Whyte from Whyte Financial, based in Worthing, will be added to the existing Board with immediate effect.
Robert Sinclair, AMI chief executive, said: “The Board felt it was important at this time to ensure that we heard more opinions from those who face the daily task of matching customers to products and working with lenders to ensure customers can get a mortgage. These are testing times and by adding this practical perspective it will further strengthen AMI’s ability to fully represent all firms.”
Montlake said: “I am honoured to be part of the AMI Board and look forward to working with the current team, especially at a time when the work they have been doing has gained even greater significance with MMR and proposed European legislation.
“Having been involved with AMI for a number of years, I feel that the time is right to move to the next level and take a more active role in AMI life. The mortgage industry and the intermediaries role within it have become something that I am deeply passionate about and as such, I want to do as much as I can to help promote and protect our role in the current environment.”
Whyte said: “I want to represent smaller firms and ensure that independent mortgage advice is available and accessible to all. It is critical that regulators recognise the value that many smaller sized intermediaries add.
“The market needs to recognise the important role intermediaries play in being the consumers’ champion whilst being able to make a fair and honest living.”