Pepper Money has appointed Paul Adams as its sales director.

Adams (pictured) joins from Santander for Intermediaries, where he worked for nearly 10 years, becoming the lender’s head of intermediary distribution.

He previously worked at GMAC-RFC, where he was head of product & strategic insights, and has been a business development manager for Cheltenham & Gloucester.

He will begin his role at Pepper in January.

Bob Golden, chief commercial officer at Pepper Money, said: “Paul has the perfect mix of experience for Pepper Money. We provide transparent criteria and hands-on underwriting for clients whose circumstances don’t quite fit the high street and his combination of expertise from his previous roles at mainstream and specialist lenders will help us to help more brokers find a home for their interesting cases.”

Adams added: “Changing demographics, shifting work patterns, and a growing mountain of unsecured debt are leading to more customers whose circumstances don’t meet the automated approach of the high street and the specialist sector is one of the most exciting growth areas in the UK mortgage market.

“Pepper’s ambitious plans for the future mean that it’s well-placed to lead the way in this market and help specialist to become the new mainstream. I look forward to getting started.”