Afin Bank has appointed Emily Carr as mortgage advisor to head up its new in-house advisory team, designed to enhance support for diaspora customers accessing the UK mortgage market.

The team, established as part of Afin’s Community Ambassador Programme, will work directly with individuals introduced through community networks. The bank’s ambassador model encourages trusted individuals within diaspora communities to refer friends, family and others to the bank for mortgage advice and support.

While Afin has confirmed that brokers and mortgage intermediaries will remain central to its distribution strategy, the new advisory team is intended to reach applicants who may be excluded from mainstream routes or unaware of the mortgage options available to them.

Carr (pictured), whose career spans major high street lenders including NatWest, Halifax and HSBC, as well as specialist provider Police Mutual, will also help shape the inhouse proposition and manage the advisory team.

Commenting on her new role, Carr said: “I really feel like I’ve been building towards and preparing for this job all my life.

“I have all the skill sets needed to create this proposition and it’s exciting to be part of a new bank like Afin that’s trying to do something different, something with a purpose.”

The bank will offer both residential and buy-to-let mortgages, targeting borrowers typically underserved by larger institutions – including foreign nationals living and working in the UK, the self-employed and professional contractors.

BREATH OF FRESH AIR

Carr added: “Afin is absolutely a breath of fresh air. This role is about building relationships and giving good advice, helping people to be able to buy a home of their own.

“Our approach will be very much customer-led, taking our time with appointments to understand what a customer needs and their circumstances, so we can explain the different options available to them.”

Alan Davison, chief commercial officer at Afin Bank, said: “Emily is a skilled and experienced mortgage adviser, but she is also passionate about treating customers as people, not just as an application.

“She’s the perfect person to help people from diaspora communities understand their options and find the mortgage they want, something they don’t get on the high street.”