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Fleet Mortgages appoints Nicola Richardson as new Managing Director

27 April 2026

Fleet Mortgages, the buy-to-let specialist lender, has today (27th April 2026) announced the appointment of Nicola Richardson as its new Managing Director.

Nicola has been with Fleet since its launch in 2014 and has played a central role in building and scaling the business from the outset.

Joining initially as Head of Finance, she established the lender’s finance function and has since progressed through a number of senior roles including Finance Director, Chief Financial Officer, and most recently Chief Finance & Operating Officer.

Her appointment marks over a decade of progression within the business, during which time she has worked across multiple disciplines and helped shape Fleet’s structure, proposition and long-term strategy.

With a detailed understanding of the lender’s operations and financing, its intermediary relationships, and the needs of landlord borrowers within the specialist buy-to-let sector, Fleet said Nicola was the perfect person to lead the lender forward.

Nicola has over 14 years’ financial services experience. She qualified as a Chartered Accountant (ACA) and holds the AMCT qualification which she obtained during a treasury role at CHL Mortgages, all of which brings a strong technical and funding background to her leadership of Fleet.

In her role as Managing Director, Nicola will take responsibility for the overall leadership, performance and strategic direction of Fleet Mortgages. She will oversee all core areas of the business, ensuring it continues to grow in a controlled and sustainable way while maintaining a strong focus on underwriting, service and broker support.

A key part of her remit will be to drive further development of Fleet’s proposition. This includes continued investment in technology, refinement of lending criteria, evolution of products and pricing, and ongoing enhancement of the service offering.

Nicola Richardson, Managing Director of Fleet Mortgages, commented:

“I’m very pleased to be taking on the role of Managing Director at Fleet, having been part of the business since it was established nearly 12 years ago. Over that time, I’ve had the opportunity to work across a number of areas and help build Fleet into the strong position it holds today, which gives me a clear understanding of both how we operate and where I would like to take the business next.

“Our focus now is on continuing to evolve Fleet in a way that strengthens our proposition, supports our intermediary partners and meets the needs of landlord borrowers. That means investing further in our technology to improve efficiency and user experience, keeping our criteria and product range relevant and competitive, and maintaining a high-quality service proposition throughout the application process.

“We also remain focused on strengthening our teams, particularly in terms of the support we provide to brokers, recognising the key role they play in our success. By working closely together and maintaining a clear focus on delivering consistent outcomes, we believe we can continue to grow the business in a sustainable way while adapting to changing market conditions.

“I strongly believe the best results come from a collaborative approach, with clear goals and a shared commitment across the business. That will remain central to how we operate as we move into the next stage of Fleet’s development. I am fortunate to have a very supportive parent in Starling Group and an amazing team here; together we’ll be working to ensure Fleet continues to be a leader in the specialist buy-to-let lending space.”

For further information on Fleet Mortgages, please visit: www.fleetmortgages.co.uk/