Roma Welcomes James Parker as Operations Director as Lender Targets £1bn Loan Book

20 August 2026

Roma Finance has strengthened its senior leadership team with the appointment of James Parker as Operations Director, as the lender continues to invest in its growth and targets a loan book of more than £1bn by 2029.

Parker joins Roma Finance with a wealth of experience across mortgage operations, commercial strategy, relationship management and business development over his 30+ year career. Prior to joining Roma Finance, he held the role of Chief Commercial Officer at Computershare Loan Services.

Having worked closely with Roma Finance in a consultancy capacity in recent months, Parker has already played a role in the execution of a number of key strategic initiatives. This has included contributing to the completion of the lender’s latest funding line from JP Morgan, which will provide further capacity as Roma continues to expand its proposition.

The funding line has already accelerated Roma’s expansion into long-term property finance, including the recent launch of its commercial mortgages and with plans in place to introduce additional products in the near future. These developments form part of the lender's strategy to broaden its offering and give borrowers the opportunity to stay with the same lender as their funding needs evolve – from short-term finance for refurbishment, conversion, construction and renovation projects through to longer-term commercial mortgage and buy-to-let finance. This creates a clearer funding pathway from initial finance to longer term solutions, reducing the uncertainty of having to source a new lender for each stage and giving customers greater confidence in their exit strategy.

For brokers, the proposition also allows them to remain involved as their borrower's funding requirements develop, supporting the relationship across different stages of the property investment journey.

Parker’s’ role will see him working with the wider business, helping to strengthen operational processes and support the delivery of new products and strategic initiatives.

Scott Marshall, Founder and Managing Director at Roma Finance, added:

"We're delighted to officially welcome James to the senior management team and look forward to the benefits of his commercial expertise and strategic insight, both of which will be invaluable as we build and invest in the people, infrastructure and proposition needed to achieve our ambitions for the business.

“What we're creating at Roma is genuinely different. A customer can come to us for short-term finance to refurbish, convert, develop or renovate a property, with the potential to stay with us when they reach the point of needing a longer-term commercial mortgage or buy-to-let finance. That gives borrowers greater certainty around their funding strategy and removes the need to start again with a new lender as their requirements evolve.

“It also gives brokers something valuable: the ability to remain alongside their clients through more of their funding journey. That's a powerful proposition for the borrower, the broker and ultimately for Roma, and it's something we're very focused on building.”

James Parker, Operations Director at Roma Finance, said:

"Having spent time working alongside the board and wider team, I've seen first-hand the ambition, expertise and culture that make Roma Finance such a unique business. The company has built an excellent reputation for delivering flexible funding solutions and putting customers at the heart of every decision. I'm excited to be joining at a pivotal stage in Roma's growth and look forward to helping the business build on its strong foundations as it continues to expand its proposition and reach."

The appointment comes as Roma Finance continues to grow its presence, with the business investing in its team and expanding its funding capabilities to support increasing demand for specialist property finance. The lender’s loan book has grown year-on-year by 30%, while headcount has risen by 24% and significant investment has been made in the expansion of Roma’s Manchester HQ this year.

Roma’s product line continues to broaden with the aim of supporting customers more effectively with both short- and longer-term finance solutions that allow the business to nurture longer term relationships with its borrowers.