The Society of Mortgage Professionals have appointed Vishal Pandya as its new operations manager.

Pandya (pictured), who has seven years’ mortgage and protection experience with HSBC and Lloyds, will support head of professional development, Lee Travis, as the professional body continue to grow its membership, raise its profile with advisers and consumers and drive for higher standards.

Travis said: “Vishal will be focusing on enhancing our overall proposition to ensure that we deliver even more value back to our membership, as we strive to contribute to the development and sustainability of the mortgage and protection sector.

“Additionally, he will be helping to identify the necessary revisions to our business plan, as we seek to further our influence with the public.

“Vishal’s experience in the banking sector will also enable us to re-examine our strategy, with a view to forming closer relationships with corporate advisers to complement our links with smaller advisory firms.”

Pandya added: “We are aiming to emulate the way the Personal Finance Society have extended their reach with consumers and to enhance our role on all fronts in the mortgage market.

“We are the only dedicated professional body for mortgage advisers, with more than 7,800 individual members, and in the future will be looking to broaden our support, particularly in the protection and general insurance sectors.”