You've now been with Twenty7tec for six months now, what have been your biggest observations since joining the business?
One of the things that attracted me to Twenty7tec was the scale of its data capabilities and the opportunity to help lenders make greater use of that information.
What's struck me most is the different ways firms approach market intelligence. Some have sophisticated processes for analysing performance, while others are still exploring how external data can support their commercial strategies.
It's clear there is growing demand for more detailed insight, particularly as lenders look to understand their position in an increasingly competitive mortgage market.
You have nearly 20 years' experience in financial services. How have lenders' expectations of market intelligence changed during that time?
When I started my career in B2B media sales, much of my work involved helping providers understand and reach their target audiences. My subsequent time at ISS Market Intelligence brought me closer to how firms use data to assess market penetration and shape distribution strategies.
Today, lenders expect far more than historic performance reports. They want timely information that helps explain changes in demand, assess their competitive position and identify potential opportunities. The emphasis has shifted from simply reporting what has happened to providing intelligence that can inform commercial decisions.
What are the biggest challenges lenders face when trying to assess their performance against the wider market?
One of the main challenges is establishing whether changes in business volumes reflect a lender's own performance or wider market conditions. For example, a lender might report a 5% increase in business, but if the relevant market has grown by 15%, its market share may actually be falling.
Understanding how, why and where these gaps have emerged is vital when assessing product competitiveness, pricing strategies and overall commercial performance. Internal figures provide part of the answer, but lenders also need reliable external data to establish how they are performing relative to their competitors.
How can adviser search data help lenders identify opportunities to improve their distribution strategies?
Search activity provides a useful indication of what advisers are looking for and how demand is changing across different parts of the mortgage market. This can help highlight potential gaps between lending propositions and the areas where advisers are actively searching for products.
It can also help distribution teams assess whether their existing relationships and activity are delivering the expected results, or whether there are opportunities to strengthen their presence in particular market segments. While searches don't necessarily translate into completed business, they provide a timely and valuable source of information when reviewing distribution performance and identifying potential areas for growth.
With lenders having access to more data than ever, how can they ensure it genuinely improves commercial decision-making?
The key is starting with a clear understanding of what you want the information to tell you. Whether that's assessing the impact of a pricing change, reviewing product performance or identifying an opportunity within a particular lending segment, the data needs to answer a specific commercial question.
There’s little value in producing increasingly detailed reports if the people using them struggle to identify what matters. Good market intelligence should make it easier for pricing, product and distribution teams to carefully evaluate their options and make measured decisions based on the findings.
Looking ahead to 2027, what are your priorities for INSIGHT Pro, and where do you see the greatest opportunities for lenders?
The priority is to build on the work already underway with INSIGHT Pro and expand what lenders can achieve with the information available to them. We have a wealth of data across Twenty7tec, and there is considerable scope to develop how that information is used across different parts of a lending business.
One area I'm particularly interested in is how market intelligence can support longer-term planning, rather than simply informing day-to-day decisions. Whether that's entering new lending segments, reviewing the strength of an existing proposition or planning future investment, lenders need a clear understanding of where the market is heading.
For me, success in 2027 will be about ensuring INSIGHT Pro becomes an increasingly important part of those strategic conversations, helping lenders make decisions with greater confidence and a clearer view of the opportunities ahead.
