Air has outlined the make-up of its new senior leadership team.
Over the past few years, the later-life lending platform has evolved its resource proposition to further support member advisers on the changing later-life lending sector. Air has launched a number of propositions to enable its members to grow their businesses, through the work it has done in collaborating with lenders and networks, underpinned by Air Academy and the evolution of Air Sourcing.
Continuing under CEO Paul Glynn’s leadership, the company moves into a new phase through its Comprehensive Conversations movement, which outlines a new set of measures for offering high-quality customer service in the later-life lending market, serving customers over the age of 50.
According to an FOI request sent to the Bank of England, 31% of new mortgages in the last quarter of 2021 had an end date beyond the state pension age. In Q4 2023, that figure rose to 42% of new mortgages. Air claims that its new senior leadership team “will establish new standards to ensure the borrowers affected can access the very best in tailored support”.
As the leadership team of Glynn and managing director Mike Taylor focus on the objectives for 2024 and beyond, Stuart Wilson, the company founder and the current chairman of Air Club, will leave Key Group at the end of the month. Wilson (pictured), who set the business up in 2007 and served as CEO for almost 15 years, is setting up a new consultancy business with a special focus on the later-life lending sector, staying close with Glynn and the team in supporting member firms.
Jon Tweed, group distribution director, will also leave the company to pursue new opportunities in the sector.
The company has also announced new hires and promotions. Alec Parkinson will join as director of sales operations. As the former customer engagement director at Key, Parkinson has over a decade’s experience specialising in the later life lending market. He will lead an expanded team of telephone and field-based consultants to grow Air’s membership base and support existing partners to achieve their objectives.
Shazia Iqbal has been promoted to director of marketing at Air. In her new role, she will build on Air’s efforts from the past two years, building the club’s propositions and recently driving the Comprehensive Conversations manifesto to the wider lending sector, and working closely with Parkinson and the wider Air leadership team to support members in an ever-changing lending landscape. Iqbal brings with her over 20 years of experience in financial services.
Glynn said: “Stuart’s contribution to Air and the whole later life lending market has been amazing. His knowledge and experience are exceptional, and I know his consultancy support to the market going forward will be superb. The whole team at Air send him our best wishes.
“We must also say goodbye to Jon, who in a short time has become an essential source of wisdom and insight during a time of seismic change in the later-life lending market. He will be missed, and we are fortunate that he will remain a close ally in the coming years.”
Wilson added: “The time is right for me to step back from Air. I am in the process of setting up a consultancy business and look forward to providing support to lenders and distributors who are operating or intend to step into the later-life lending market. This is a dynamic and exciting sector, and I feel the time is right to return to a frontline role and want to pivot my skills to support firms across this sector as it faces into a hugely exciting period. I remain committed to ensuring that positive customer outcomes stay at the forefront of the later-life lending conversation.
“I am so very proud of what the team at Air continues to achieve. The breadth and depth of the proposition they offer their members and corporate partners is second to none. Working alongside such industry heavyweights as Jon was a rich privilege and a career highlight. I wish Paul Glynn and his team the very best and know that we will maintain a close relationship going forward.”