The esteemed Mortgage Strategy NextGen judging panel will later this week announce its first ever 30 rising stars for the class of 2026.

After an intense evaluation of an exceptionally strong pool of candidates, the judging panel — made up of respected industry leaders including Peter Brodnicki, CEO of Mortgage Advice Bureau; Esther Dijkstra, Managing Director of Intermediaries at Lloyds Banking Group; Joshua Elash, Director at MT Finance; Neil Wyatt, Sales and Marketing Director at Mortgage Brain Group; Paul Adams, Sales Director at Pepper Money; and James Prosser, Commercial Director at Mortgage Strategy — has finalised the cohort for NextGen 2026.

The individuals selected — all aged under 30 on entry — come from across the mortgage ecosystem, including brokers, BDMs, underwriters, technologists, marketers and operational professionals. The judges were particularly impressed by the energy, depth of knowledge, and commitment demonstrated throughout the application process.

James Prosser, Commercial Director at Mortgage Strategy, said:“The level and quality of applications for the first year has been incredibly strong and genuinely encouraging. The passion, ambition and potential we’ve seen from the next generation of talent shows just how bright the future of our industry is. Choosing just 30 was far from easy, which is a testament to the strength of the candidates who applied.”

Over the next 12 months, the MS NextGen cohort will take part in a structured development journey, gaining access to mentorship, leadership workshops, industry engagement, and the tools needed to maximise their emerging potential.

On 4 December, Mortgage Strategy will reveal the names of the 30 individuals selected.

Watch this space.