This week, Specialist Lending Solutions is talking to Harry Burrett, business development manager (BDM) at RAW Capital Partners.
Which locations and how many advisers and broker firms do you cover in your role at RAW Capital Partners?
I am the BDM for RAW Capital Partners in London, looking after brokers from Southampton to Scotland. These firms range in size and scope, from enterprises with over 100 brokers to sole traders.
Fortunately, I am well-supported by a talented new business team in Guernsey and an extremely capable sales development representative (SDR) in London.
What personal talent/skill is most valuable in doing your job?
Empathy and a desire to get things done.
What personal talent/skill would you most like to improve on?
Some more patience at times would be helpful. As a natural salesman, I tend to want everything to happen yesterday, so having the ability to pause and make a considered decision is vastly under-rated in my experience.
What’s the hardest part of your job?
Having to say to a broker that we are unable to help with a particular enquiry.
What do you love most about your job?
The variety of cases that we receive as a specialist lender. I have always loved the industry and I get to see the full spectrum of prospective projects in my role.
Tell us about your trickiest case – what happened and how did you resolve the problem(s)?
The refinance of a Prime Central London (PCL) property owned by a British Virgin Islands trust with the ultimate beneficial owners consisting of two individuals and one special purpose vehicle (SPV). The individuals are residents in India and the SPV incorporated in the UK.
At first glance, this appeared challenging, but thanks to our flexible approach and thoughtful underwriting, we tailored a solution that exceeded the client’s expectations.
What was your motivation for choosing this career?
I enjoy being client-facing and am naturally empathetic. As a BDM, it is so important to have the ability to see different perspectives and to have a positive, solution-based outlook.
If you could do any other job in the property sector, what would it be and why?
In the past, I have worked in the construction sector and have done some very small-scale property development. While it was enormously challenging, it is something I would like to revisit in the future.
What did you want to be growing up?
An author.
And finally, what’s the strangest question you’ve ever been asked?
In my current role: “Would you accept an oil rig as security for a mortgage?”
Anna is currently the deputy editor for Mortgage Solutions and editor for Specialist Lending Solutions. She has worked as a journalist since 2019, having secured her Gold Standard NCTJ diploma from News Associates in a fast-track six-month course.
She started her career as a report at specialist publication The Insurance Insider covering a wide range of areas before joining Mortgage Solutions and Specialist Lending Solutions in 2021.
In her role, she helps put together and structure the news agenda for the day and writes up press releases, reports, interviews, analyses and exclusives across both titles. She also commissions blogs for Specialist Lending Solutions and hosts online masterclasses and in-person events across the business.
She has been shortlisted for three journalism awards, which include BIBA Journalist and Media Awards Scoop of Year Award in 2020, Headline Money Mortgage Journalist of the Year Award (B2B) in 2022 and 2023.
Prior to being a journalist, Anna worked in ecommerce across Snow + Rock, Cycle Surgery and Runners Need websites, and before that worked at specialist financial PR firm Rostrum.
In her spare time, Anna enjoys reading, seeing live music, and cooking for friends and family. When she gets a chance, she also enjoys hiking, skiing and indoor rock climbing.
