Name: Tony Hall
Age: 55
Location: Cheltenham
Firm: Saffron for Intermediaries
Education: Comprehensive school education, left school at 16
Specialty: Specialist mortgage market, particularly complex cases and complex incomes
Interests: Skiing and cycling
- You’ve spent nearly four decades in financial services – what first drew you into the mortgage industry?
My uncle was an accountant and told me that joining a bank was a good option because at the time it was considered a job for life.
I interviewed with Lloyds and Barclays and ended up choosing Barclays, joining their new entrant programme in 1987. Since then, I’ve worked across 12 banks and building societies, which has given me a broad view of the market.
- What’s the biggest change you’ve seen in intermediary lending since you started?
When I started, most people went directly to their bank or local building society for a mortgage. Today, roughly nine in 10 mortgages are arranged through intermediaries, which shows just how much the market has evolved.
- As head of business development at Saffron, what does a typical week look like for you?
No two weeks look the same, but I usually start by catching up with my team on a Monday to review the previous week, looking at what went well, where the challenges were and setting ourselves up for the week ahead.
Beyond that it’s a mixture of strategic and tactical meetings, as well as planning how we support brokers and grow our distribution. I spend around 60% of my time working from home or in the Saffron office, and the other 40% out and about, often travelling to London to meet with partners and the wider team.
There are also fun parts of the role, like industry awards, events and conferences, which are great opportunities to catch up with people across the market.
- What motivates you most in your role today – growth, innovation, relationships or something else?
For me, it’s about helping transform perceptions of the mutual sector. Mutuals are valued for their personal approach and focus on helping people, but they’re sometimes seen as slow or outdated.
Our mindset is that being a mutual shouldn’t mean being behind the curve. We want to be the first choice for brokers. The goal is to be tech-enabled enough to handle data efficiently, while still being mutual enough to care about the individual.
- Self-build and custom build are specialist areas – what excites you about that sector in particular?
The self- and custom-build market gives people the opportunity to create a home that genuinely suits their needs, whether that’s through building from a plot, carrying out a major renovation or converting an existing property. It allows homeowners to be more involved in the process and shape the outcome around how they want to live.
There are also wider benefits. Energy efficiency is a major driver for many projects, as people can incorporate modern construction methods and better-performing materials from the outset.
With self- and custom-build still accounting for only around 7% of new homes in the UK, there is significant potential for the sector to play a bigger role alongside traditional development in helping address housing supply, which makes it an exciting area to be involved in.
- As an NaCSBA board member, what do you think the industry still misunderstands about self-build?
One of the biggest misconceptions comes from shows like Grand Designs, which can give the impression that self-build is always a large, ambitious project or something only available to wealthier homeowners.
In reality, the market is much broader than that. Self- and custom-build can include renovations and conversions, redeveloping an existing property, not just building a house from scratch.
A lot of borrowers simply aren’t aware these options exist. Improving that awareness is key, because for some buyers it can be a viable alternative route to creating a home that better suits their needs.
- What’s one professional lesson that’s stayed with you throughout your career?
One piece of advice that has stuck with me came from a boss at Bradford & Bingley in the late 90s. He said it is not about always being nice, it’s about doing things nicely. The mortgage industry is a small world, and relationships matter. You sometimes have to deliver difficult messages, but the way you handle those conversations is just as important as the message itself.
- If you weren’t working in mortgages, what do you think you’d be doing instead?
I would probably be doing something outdoors, ideally combining my interests in skiing and cycling. I’ve always loved being outside and active, so in a perfect world I’d spend winters guiding people on ski seasons and summers leading cycling trips.
- What makes a great broker-lender relationship in 2026?
For me, it comes down to true partnership. It should be two equal partners working towards the same outcome. It’s not just about placing a product, but about adding value, finding the right solutions for clients and helping brokers grow their businesses.
- What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received?
Earlier in my career I was introduced to a framework called the performance chain. It is essentially a five-step way of asking questions around a problem to identify the root cause.
It’s something I’ve used throughout my career and something I introduced to Saffron, which we now use across teams and processes.
- What’s one misconception brokers might have about building societies?
One common misconception is that building societies are slower than other lenders or should only be approached as a last resort.Most societies operate at service levels comparable with the wider market.
There’s also a perception that we’re only there when the high street says no. What we actually offer is a different approach to lending. Building societies are often better placed to consider more complex or non-standard cases that don’t fit rigid criteria.
- How do you switch off after a busy week in the industry?
Cycling is my main way to switch off after a busy week. I’m also quite disciplined about boundaries when working from home. My laptop and work phone stay in my office and I don’t go back in there until Monday.
- Which market trend should brokers be paying much closer attention to right now?
The rise in borrowers with multiple or complex income streams is a big trend brokers should be watching closely. More people now have side businesses, freelance work or several jobs, which doesn’t always fit neatly into high street lending models.
Building societies are often better placed to assess that layered risk, so brokers who are comfortable advising in that space could unlock opportunities.
- What achievement are you most proud of – professionally or personally?
Professionally, I’m proud to still be part of the industry after 38 years and to have contributed to the success of several lenders.
Personally, I’m incredibly proud of my family. My two sons are both doing very well in their own careers, and my wife and I have been married for more than 30 years.
- What would colleagues say is the one thing that defines Tony Hall?
I would like to think my colleagues would say I’m honest, supportive and funny. I tend to diffuse a lot of situations with humour – that’s my style.
