Key Advice has promoted Rachel East to become the later life lender’s new director of advice and adviser services.

East, who joined the business in 2018, will lead all specialist equity release advisers, covering both the Key and The Equity Release Experts brands.

She replaces Ian English, who stepped down last week, after leading Key’s adviser team for six years.

The firm says English will move to a new role in the financial services industry in the new year.

East has over 20 years of experience in financial services, and previously ran one of Key’s regional advice divisions and the adviser services function within the business.

Prior to that, she worked at Royal Bank of Scotland for just under two years, leaving as a regional mortgage director in 2018 and spent almost seven years at Santander, leaving as a branch director in 2016.

Key Advice managing director Chris Bibby says: “Rachel has the energy and skills to oversee a return to growth in specialist later life advice for Key as the market bounces back.

“With a sharp focus on the use of technology to rethink how we deliver and support the advice process going forward.”

East adds: “The use of technology and embracing change will allow us to continue to support even more customers as we move through the remaining months of 2024 and into 2025.”