Accord set for success with strengthened leadership team

01 May 2025

Accord Mortgages has made strategic changes to its leadership team, to ‘future-proof’ its outstanding service, efficiency, consistency and propositional excellence, and ensure it maintains outstanding support for brokers and their clients.

These changes for the intermediary-only lender, effective now, include expanding its leadership team from eight to 10, with the creation of two new roles. The senior leadership team has also been restructured, with three senior managers each taking responsibility for three key business areas, reporting to managing director, Jeremy Duncombe.

Chris Hill – formerly senior manager, intermediary distribution - takes on the role of head of sales, with a focus on further increasing efficiency, consistency and performance, as well as boosting reach by deepening relationships with broker partners. Nick Piper – previously senior manager, governance and strategy – will be head of strategy, governance and management information, centred on ongoing operational improvements, developing broker journeys and efficiencies. Nicola Alvarez – senior manager, mortgage distribution – proposition development – is now head of strategic partnerships & propositions, responsible for mortgage clubs and networks and proposition development, Nicola’s new role will focus on evolving strategic relationships.

Meanwhile, Caroline Mills is new to the business, having spent 23 years at Lloyds Banking Group, and has stepped into the new role of team manager, intermediary distribution, managing the team of business development advisors (BDAs) and looking to add value to each stage of the customer journey, as well as managing the retail broker programme which brings Accord and branch network colleagues together, training retail colleagues to proactively connect with more brokers who might need support.

Gurpreet Chahal has moved from his position as corporate account manager into the new role of regional sales manager for London and the South-East. He will focus on leading a team of business development managers (BDMs) to deepen existing relationships with brokers, working in partnership to help them grow their businesses.

Angelika Christian has also stepped up from her role as a BDM to take on the position of Strategic Partnerships & Propositions Manager, where she will be building strong collaborations with mortgage clubs and networks as well as developing propositions.

Jeremy Duncombe, managing director for Accord Mortgages, said:

“I’m delighted to announce the restructure of my leadership team which will allow us to deliver even better support for our brokers, and our mortgage clubs and networks.

“These changes add to the already strong leadership team which includes Andrew Calder, Iain Cunningham, Chris Sanderson and Claire Chick, who continue in their same leadership roles.

“We know from broker feedback that the propositions, service and efficient processes we are known for are highly valued. However, we are constantly looking for new opportunities to further enhance our offerings as a leading intermediary lender, and these changes are designed to future-proof our business.

“Establishing clear ownership for each of our key business areas will ensure we deliver our ambitious long-term strategy and provide the best possible support for the intermediary market as we move forward.”