Championing changemakers: why sponsor the WRAs?

With the Women’s Recognition Awards now just under one month away, we spoke to this year’s sponsors about why they want to be a part of #WRA26, from celebrating excellence in their chosen categories to pushing for greater equity, diversity and inclusion across the industry.

Caroline Luxmore, chief commercial officer at Recognise Bank, said they were “proud to sponsor the Women-Led Brokerage of the Year category” as “women-led brokerages are making an increasingly important contribution to the specialist lending market, combining commercial expertise with a strong focus on customer outcomes and innovation.

“As a specialist bank, relationships are at the heart of everything we do. And as an intermediary-led lender, working with countless broker partners across the UK has helped us grow a loan book of more than £500m.

“We see first-hand the expertise, resilience and leadership that successful brokerages bring to our industry. Sponsoring this award is our way of celebrating those achievements and championing the people helping shape the future of specialist lending,” Caroline continued.

Similarly, Harpal Singh, CEO of Conveybuddy, said that they chose to sponsor the BDM of the Year category “because it aligns perfectly with what we believe in at Conveybuddy.

“Building strong relationships, being there when brokers need support and delivering a great service. We know that great service starts with great relationships and we're proud to support brokers with a team that's always on hand when they need us.”

For Nadine Edwards, head of intermediary distribution at NatWest, the choice to sponsor the Mortgage Adviser of the Year category was because of the “meaningful impact” that advisers have on people’s lives.

“They help customers navigate important financial decisions and support them through one of life's biggest milestones, often building trusted relationships that last for years. This award recognises professionals who combine expertise with empathy, resilience and a genuine commitment to putting their customers first,” she explains.

“At NatWest, we believe it's important to celebrate those achievements and highlight the positive influence women continue to have across the mortgage industry,” Nadine adds. “By sponsoring this category, we're also helping shine a light on successful role models whose stories can inspire others to join and thrive in financial services. Recognition is a powerful way to encourage greater diversity, showcase different career journeys and highlight the opportunities available within our sector.”

Paul Hunt, co-founder of Square 1 Media chose to sponsor the Marketer of the Year award for similar reasons: “Marketing has been a brilliant profession for me and so I am keen to celebrate excellence in this field where and when I can,” he said.

Looking toward the industry’s future, Jennifer Harrison, content lead at MQube, noted that “we chose to support Woman in Fintech as we feel it's so important to celebrate the women leading the charge when it comes to embracing the technological changes facing our industry.”

In this regard, Charlotte Rutter, head of partnerships & marketing at Roma Finance, explained that their decision to sponsor the Mentor of the Year category came from the belief that “exceptional mentors create lasting impact.”

“They share knowledge, build confidence, open doors and help others reach their potential,” she said. “At Roma Finance, education, development and supporting people to succeed are at the heart of what we do, making this category a natural fit for our values and our commitment to championing future talent.”

Jen Curry, national sales manager at Nottingham Building Society, described the Women’s Recognition Awards as providing “an important platform to celebrate the achievements, leadership, and contributions of women across our industry.”

“I am proud to work for Nottingham Building Society, where inclusion, development, opportunity, and wellbeing are actively encouraged,” she continued. “Mental wellbeing contributes hugely to how we feel and perform at work, anyone who advocates for mental health helps break down stigma and should be encouraged and recognised to ensure we keep these conversations going in the workplace.

Finally, Jodie Andrews, head of marketing, sales & partnerships at One Mortgage System, noted that, “as a CRM and origination provider working closely with lenders, other technology providers and brokers across the industry, we see the impact women are having at every level of the mortgage sector, whether that's leading a product launch that shifts the market, driving innovation, or spending years pushing an issue up the industry's agenda until it gets the attention it deserves.

“Mortgages remain a male-heavy industry, and while that's slowly changing, the scale of what women are achieving in it isn't always matched by the recognition that follows, and we wanted to support an award that puts that right.”

Want to join us at #WRA26? Head to the Attend page to find out more about table bookings and sponsorship opportunities.