Just Mortgages has announced the creation of a new regional performance management team to bolster support for area directors and advisers within its expanding self-employed division.
The new structure introduces three regional performance managers: Jonathan Phillips, who will cover the north region, and Ben Peart and Richard Mills, who will oversee operations in the south. All three are internal promotions, reflecting the brokerage’s strategy of developing senior talent from within.
The team will serve as a second line of influence, working alongside area directors to review business plans, address challenges and identify opportunities to enhance adviser performance. Their focus will include sales development, identifying training needs, and supporting recruitment to help advisers grow and scale their businesses.
Jonathan Phillips has spent more than six years with Just Mortgages, having previously served as an area director and interim regional manager. His 20-year career includes senior roles at Tesco Bank, Reeds Rains and HSBC. Richard Mills steps up from his role as financial services director, having previously held regional and area director positions during his five years with the firm, while Ben Peart joins the team from his role as regional director, bringing prior experience from Countrywide and Connells.
Jonathan Phillips said: “I’m thrilled to be taking on this new strategic role, working closely with the area directors across the region to influence and support them in helping our advisers grow their businesses. The area directors have been really receptive and the response across the division has been very positive. We all have the same goal of helping our advisers succeed, so my role now is all about influencing our directors, helping them to nurture strong relationships and understand what is required to help brokers meet their goals as an individual adviser and as a business owner.”
Ben Allkins, head of mortgages and protection at Just Mortgages, added: “The introduction of regional performance managers is an exciting next step in our strategy, designed to make sure we really are giving our advisers all the support they need to launch, scale and succeed in a self-employed environment. Establishing a second line of influence ensures our brilliant area directors are alive to every opportunity and are able to meet the individual needs of the broad range of businesses that make up our self-employed division.
“Jonathan, Richard and Ben bring a wealth of experience from within the division and the wider market, and have the respect of our directors and advisers. As the division continues to grow and interest to join only increases, strengthening the support structure we place around every adviser business becomes absolutely critical. We are fast approaching 500 advisers and have clear ambitions to double that number in the coming years.”
Just Mortgages’ self-employed division now includes nearly 500 advisers nationwide, alongside more than 150 employed advisers based in estate agency branches across the UK.
