What do you do at Allica, and what does a typical day look like?
I'm a business development manager for bridging finance, covering the south-west and south Wales.
One of the things I enjoy most about the role is that no two days are the same. A lot of my time is spent building relationships with brokers, reconnecting with existing contacts, and introducing myself to new ones across my region.
As I'm still fairly new to Allica, I'm focused on getting out there, meeting people and making sure they know who I am and how we can help.
Alongside that, I'm supporting brokers with enquiries, helping progress deals and working closely with everyone involved to get applications through to completion.
How did you get into bridging and business development?
It was a natural progression from the roles I've held throughout my career. I've worked in financial services for many years, starting out in branch banking before moving into roles including Premier Manager, Mortgage Adviser, and Financial Consultant.
One thing I learned early on was the importance of building genuine relationships. I've always believed that if you take the time to listen to people and understand what they need, they'll trust you and come back to you in the future.
That relationship-focused approach is what drew me towards business development. After working as a mortgage broker, I moved into my first BDM role, supporting self-employed brokers and helping them grow their businesses. I loved working closely with people, helping them succeed and building long-term partnerships. From there, I held several BDM roles before moving into bridging finance, and now Allica. It’s a role that feels very natural to me and one I genuinely enjoy.
What was your first job?
My first role was working on the counter at RBS, which was where my career in financial services began. I knew where I wanted to be from the start!
If you weren't working in finance, what do you think you'd be doing?
Probably something involving dance. I studied contemporary dance at GCSE and A level. I was even accepted into the Laban School of Dance, but in the end, I decided it wasn't the path I wanted to take.
It's always interesting to think about what might have happened if I'd made a different choice, but life is full of those moments. I love the choice I made to be in banking.
What's been your favourite thing about working at Allica so far?
The people. Everyone has been incredibly welcoming, supportive and helpful since I joined.
I've also been impressed by how quickly the business responds to feedback and implements improvements. It's clear that if something can be done better, people are willing to listen, make changes and keep moving forward.
What's the best career advice you'd give to someone looking to move into a similar role?
Be curious and don't be afraid to ask questions. Some of the best learning comes from getting involved in projects outside your comfort zone and taking every opportunity to learn from the people around you.
Building strong relationships, staying open to new challenges and being willing to keep learning can make a huge difference throughout your career.
What's your go-to way to unwind when you're not at work?
I like to switch off by spending time with friends and family, taking the dog for a walk, eating out, and catching up on a good TV series or book.
I love to relax, recharge and make the most of my time away from work.
What are you most excited about for the rest of 2026?
I'm looking forward to continuing to develop both professionally and personally, taking on new challenges and seeing what opportunities the rest of the year brings.
I'm also excited to make the most of some planned time with family and friends and enjoy everything that's still to come in 2026.
