Just Mortgages has expanded its self-employed division with the appointment of Gina McLaren to the role of area director.

Based in Leicestershire, McLaren will be working with self-employed advisers across the Midlands region, using her two decades of experience to support their development and the growth of their businesses.

Alongside developing business plans and exploring growth opportunities, she will be connecting advisers with in-house training, marketing and recruitment support. She will also play an active role in expanding the region and division by recruiting new self-employed talent.

McLaren started her career with Countrywide, spending nearly eight years as an adviser. She would later join Connells in 2014, reuniting with her former colleagues following the acquisition of Countrywide in 2021. Having initially joined as an adviser, McLaren then climbed the ranks at Connells and served as an area manager for eight years.

Commenting on her appointment, McLaren said: ““For me, leadership is about authenticity, trust and helping people become the very best version of themselves. As an area director working with self-employed advisers, it’s a privilege to help advisers build businesses that work for them, their ambitions and their lifestyles.

“What I enjoy most about my role is the people. There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing someone achieve a level of success they never thought possible, whether that’s growing their business, improving their work-life balance or gaining the confidence to pursue opportunities they once thought were out of reach. Those values clearly align with Just Mortgages, which makes this a fantastic opportunity for me.”