Somo Bridging has hired two senior business development managers and a sales support administrator.  

It says its new business development managers are Nicola Hardy and Sarah Kirk, who jointly ran brokerage Transform Mortgages for five years before joining the specialist lending firm.  

The business adds these appointments take the sales team up to 13, with “further plans to appoint more in the new year”.  

It says Hardy and Kirk, who have almost 45 years of sector experience between them, will build relationships with brokers and promote the firm’s valuation-only model and second charge products.  

Hardy’s role, more specifically, will see her manage relationships with the lender’s new and existing national networks and mortgage clubs of brokers. Kirk has been tasked with onboarding new brokers in the north, including Scotland.  

Before Transform Mortgages, Hardy worked for almost a year as a regional sales manager at Smart Money, three-and-a-half-years as a case manager at Fluent Money and 12-and-a-half-years at Nationwide, leaving as a mortgage advisor in August 2012.  

Sales support administrator Riaz, who has worked in administration for four years, joins the 36-strong team at the business, reporting to sales director, Jade Keval.   

SoMo senior talent acquisition partner Lindsey O’Neill says: “The unique relationship between Somo’s sales and underwriting teams means they work closely together to mitigate risks while getting deals through quickly and efficiently. None of this is done through portals but with the human touch that personable and passionate people like Nicola and Sarah can provide.”  

The lender says despite the “volatile economic climate”, it has grown by 20% over the last year and boosted its team by 58% to support increased business.