Specialist mortgage lender Pepper Money has appointed Michelle Walsh as regional development manager for the North West.

Walsh joins from Nationwide, where she spent more than 12 years as a business development manager, earning a reputation for strong technical knowledge and a consistent focus on helping brokers navigate challenging cases.

Before that, she spent over a decade with Britannia Building Society as a branch manager, where she concentrated on financial education and community engagement.

Her appointment forms part of Pepper Money’s wider strategy to strengthen its regional presence and build on its reputation for serving customers whose circumstances fall outside traditional lending criteria. These include self-employed borrowers, first-time buyers and those with irregular incomes or limited credit histories.

Ryan Brailsford, business development director at Pepper Money, said: “We’re pleased to welcome Michelle to the team. She brings a strong understanding of the market and has consistently shown a commitment to building solid relationships with brokers.

“Her arrival comes at a time when more brokers are turning to specialist lenders like us to help find solutions for customers who don’t always fit the standard criteria.”

He added that Walsh’s appointment would help the lender maintain its focus on offering “practical options” and “outstanding service and outcomes” for brokers and their clients.

Walsh said: “I’m looking forward to this next chapter in my career, joining a team at Pepper Money that’s well-established and known for supporting brokers with practical, reliable service.

“With the need for specialist solutions only growing, coupled with increased pressure on customers’ affordability, I look forward to working closely with our broker partners to find the right solutions for many more customers in the North West.”