General insurance provider Paymentshield has created two director of distribution roles caused by the retirement of sales director James Watson.

Emma Green and Rana Ali will both be promoted into the new roles, with Green (pictured, left) responsible for Paymentshield’s mortgage and financial adviser-related partnerships and Ali (pictured, right) the lettings and fintech/proptech distribution.

Between them, Green and Ali have spent over 30 years at Paymentshield, with both initially joining the Southport-based company a year apart – as key accounts manager and telephone account manager respectively.

Green  has over 20 years’ experience in the mortgage sales industry, including 15 years at Paymentshield, with the last five spent as head of intermediary sales. She has particular expertise in building relationships and panel appointments with key networks – the likes of which include Openwork, SBG, Mortgage Intelligence, MAB and Quilter.

Ali has worked his way up the ranks to now co-lead the GI provider’s sales activity following over 14 years at Paymentdshield. This includes the last seven years as head of business development, and with it the responsibility for driving the company’s lettings proposition that resulted in 68% year-on-year sales growth in 2021.

Watson is retiring  after 37 years’ in financial services and 20 in insurance, including a period as Paymentshield’s acting chief executive in 2015.

Rob Evans, CEO of Paymentshield, said: “James has been a fundamental part of our success and what he has brought to the team, the business and the industry has been incredible. On behalf of everyone in Paymentshield, I can only thank him for his invaluable contribution and wish him all the best for a happy retirement.

“Of course, despite the loss we feel at James’s retirement, it’s fantastic that we are able to promote internally, as it speaks to the high-calibre of Paymentshield’s staff and the team James built.

“Rana and Emma have been instrumental to Paymentshield’s growth and propositional development over the past decade or so. I’m sure their success will continue in their new roles and it’s a privilege to have them as part of Paymentshield’s leadership team.”