The Connect Group has launched a new buy-to-let and bridging service aimed exclusively at the broker market.

The Connect Mortgage Club will be headed up by Kevin Ward, who joins the joins the Hornchurch-based outfit from First 4 Bridging.

Prior to that he was operations manager at AMF One Stop Mortgages for almost a decade, having started his career at NatWest.

Meanwhile, Geoff Simmonds has been appointed the new manager of Connect Overseas. He joined the Connect Group back in 2008 and was brought in to strengthen the online presence and the broker proposition. He has also worked at John Charcol and commercial lender 5D Finance.

“We are extremely lucky to have secured Kevin’s services at a time when Connect Group is beginning to initiate its planned expansion,” said Liz Syms, managing director at Connect Group.

“Kevin joins us with great experience of the marketplace and understands what intermediaries are looking for in terms of products and service. Geoff Simmonds has been an integral part of the Connect Group since he joined and has rightly been appointed to lead Connect Overseas into a new dawn, where we hope to help mortgage brokers deal direct with international mortgage providers.”