Brighten appoints senior BDM

Publication Date: Tuesday, 30 April 2024
This article originally appeared in The Adviser.

A new senior business development manager has been appointed at the lender to expand its distribution network in Western Australia.

Non-bank lender Brighten Home Loans (Brighten) has appointed Scott Chandler as its new senior business development manager (BDM).

Chandler, who joined the lender earlier this month, was previously a business relationship manager for aggregator Australian Finance Group (AFG), where he was “instrumental in supporting the AFG-Brighten white label partnership” according to Brighten.

He was also formerly a relationship manager at Westpac Premier and a bank manager for Westpac and Commonwealth Bank of Australia.

Based in Perth, Chandler will report to Chris Meaker, director and head of distribution at Brighten, and will oversee the lender’s business development initiatives in Western Australia, the Northern Territory, and South Australia.

Brighten said that Chandler’s appointment as senior BDM was related to the lender’s initiative to expand its distribution network in Western Australia due to increased demand for property in the area. Ineed, the non-bank said its application submissions from the state increased by 51 per cent year on year from 1 April 2023 to 1 April 2024.

Meaker said that brokers could expect home buyers to increasingly seek out non-bank lending. He commented: “We are witnessing a steady increase in inquiries from our broker partners, particularly from regions beyond the eastern seaboard.

“These are predominantly from self-employed customers in need of alternative-documentation finance solutions, and investors seeking better serviceability options.”

Speaking on Chandler’s appointment, Meaker said: “This increase in demand has also led to the expansion of Brighten’s broker network in Western Australia, prompting the appointment of a Senior BDM to offer them the best-possible service.

“Scott’s appointment is timely and aligns perfectly with our strategic objective of rapid national expansion.”

Chandler commented that he was excited to join Brighten: “I’m excited to join such a respected team within the industry. I’m particularly excited by Brighten’s strong growth record and its commitment to staying ahead of market trends through technological and product development.

“I look forward to leveraging my experience to provide top-tier service to our brokers across Western Australia, South Australia, and the Northern Territory.”

Brighten partnered with Quickli earlier this year following policy changes that aimed to improve loan serviceability.