Just Mortgages has expanded the management team within its self-employed division with the appointment of Gina McLaren as area director for the Midlands.
Based in Leicestershire, McLaren will work with self-employed advisers across the region, supporting business development and helping advisers access the brokerage’s training, marketing and recruitment resources.
She will also be responsible for identifying growth opportunities and recruiting additional self-employed advisers as Just Mortgages looks to expand its presence in the Midlands.
McLaren (pictured) has more than 20 years’ experience in the mortgage sector. She began her career with Countrywide, where she spent almost eight years as an adviser, before joining Connells in 2014.
She initially worked as an adviser at Connells before moving into management and has spent the past eight years as an area manager, overseeing and developing adviser teams.
Just Mortgages’ self-employed management team currently supports nearly 500 advisers across the UK.
McLaren said: “It’s been really refreshing to join Just Mortgages and I’m excited to put my experience to good use within the self-employed division.
“Everyone has been so friendly, approachable and helpful, and I’ve been given plenty of support and reassurance as I get started in the role.
“For me, leadership is about authenticity, trust and helping people become the very best version of themselves. A
“s an area director working with self-employed advisers, it’s a privilege to help advisers build businesses that work for them, their ambitions and their lifestyles.
“What I enjoy most about my role is the people. There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing someone achieve a level of success they never thought possible, whether that’s growing their business, improving their work-life balance or gaining the confidence to pursue opportunities they once thought were out of reach.
“Those values clearly align with Just Mortgages, which makes this a fantastic opportunity for me.”
Ben Allkins, head of mortgages and protection at Just Mortgages, said: “I have known Gina for a number of years and I know she will be a tremendous addition to our self-employed management team.
“Not only does she have plenty of experience for advisers to draw on, but she also has a clear passion for development and working side by side with advisers to help them achieve success – however they define that.
“We have invested considerable time and effort into building the right infrastructure around advisers to allow them to launch, scale and succeed.
“Each adviser will require their own level of support and will have their own specific needs, whether that’s additional licences, recruitment support or simply, the flexibility and autonomy to do what they do best.
“Adding expertise to our management is a key part of that strategy and one of the many reasons why ambitious advisers continue to seek out Just Mortgages for self-employed opportunities.”
