Loans Warehouse has announced the appointment of Michael Coogan as a strategic adviser.

Coogan was director general of the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) between 1996 and 2011, and is also chairman of Shaping Tomorrow, a strategic planning consultancy and business intelligence company.

Matt Tristram, co-founder and director of Loans Warehouse, said: “We are delighted to welcome Michael to our team, the opportunity for us to work alongside someone with Michael’s experience and knowledge of the finance industry had huge appeal to Sam and I. Michael is known and respected in circles throughout the banking and finance industry and the perfect choice for us.”

“Michael is not only extremely well known but he is also passionate about the industry and recognises the importance of the secured markets working together. For a long time, secured loans were viewed in a lesser light than mortgages, but in today’s market this simply isn’t the case. Sam and I have spent a long time banging the drum for secured loans, telling as many people as possible about the benefits of them.

“With Michael on board, the aim is to bring the product to the masses through added awareness and partnerships with the mainstream organisations.”

Coogan added: “Brokers are the life blood of the lending industry. The Funding for Lending Scheme has re-opened the credit markets in the UK, and the benefits will flow through into a fast growing secured lending sector.

“I look forward to helping Loans Warehouse to take advantage of the commercial opportunities as the economy improves, and to help them build on their strong market position.”