New mortgage lending operation Belmont Green Finance Limited has recruited Simon Burnell as its director of sales for second mortgages.

Belmont Green was set up by former senior management from Platform, David Tweedy and Guy Batchelor. It is moving into new offices in Staines-upon-Thames on 11 April and is currently recruiting a team of experienced mortgage professionals to build a new intermediary mortgage lending business.

Burnell was until recently head of business development at secured loan provider Nemo Personal Finance. He will report to  Batchelor, Belmont Green’s sales and marketing director. Burnell first joined the mortgage market in 1995, holding various roles with First National Bank before becoming national sales manager for GE Money from 2004-2010.

Following four years in Operations for GE Capital, he joined Nemo Personal Finance in January 2014 and helped re-establish the brand, distribution and proposition.

Burnell said: “I have been closely involved in building post-MCD compliant processes whilst at Nemo. Now my role at Belmont Green gives me the opportunity to learn from how other lenders and brokers adapt to the post-MCD environment to help refine our proposition and processes for launch.

“I am really excited to be joining a start-up organisation and am looking forward to re-engaging with master brokers over the next few months.”

Batchelor added: “It’s great to have secured Simon for this senior role – he brings a wealth of experience – and we are currently recruiting a similar calibre of person to work alongside him as director of sales for mortgages.”

Mark Fry, Colonial Second Charge Loans’ managing director, said: “It’s great to see Simon helping to set up a new entrant as he knows what the secured loan market needs post-MCD. And from the conversations I’ve had with Belmont Green so far, I think he’s going to be able to put a compelling proposition together for launch.”