Future-Ready Careers: Thriving Through Market Change
Wednesday 10th June 2026 - Hosted at Aviva by PMS & Bankhall Group
Stay relevant. Stay consistent. Stay curious.
A note from the Co- Founders.
This market has tested relevance: how quickly firms and individuals adapt to shifting affordability rules, evolving regulation and rising customer expectations. Thriving Through Market Change brought our community together to confront that head-on. What follows is a record of the conversation. - Aleka Gutzmore, Jeffrey Krampah-Williams and Atlyn Forde, Co-Founders, BMPAN
Setting the Agenda
Aleka Gutzmore, Co-Founder of BMPAN, opened proceedings with a clear framing: change is no longer the exception in mortgages — it’s the operating environment. Affordability, policy and Consumer Duty have reshaped the market and the firms managing that shift best are not the ones resisting it.
“Expertise matters now more than ever, ”Gutzmore told the room. “The organisations and individuals succeeding today aren’t simply reacting to change; they’re adapting to it, learning from it and finding opportunity within it.”
The Case for Connection
Richard Goppy, Director of Acquisitions and Key Accounts at PMS Mortgage Club, and Claire Cherrington, Distribution Director at Sesame Bankhall Group, joined as representatives of event sponsor PMS Bankhall and shared a story that made the case for BMPAN better than any mission statement could.
The two first met at an earlier BMPAN event, when they were competitors. That first conversation grew into a professional relationship and later led to Richard joining Claire’s team.
Networking for Success
“When people talk about the value of networking, connection and community, I can genuinely say BMPAN has had a direct impact on my career.” - Richard Goppy
Claire framed the wider point: “You never know where one conversation might lead. The person you meet tonight could become a mentor, a colleague, a client, a lifetime friend. Creating space for those relationships to develop is exactly what this is about.”
Rising Above Market Uncertainty
A panel discussion that talked about adaptation, growth, resilience and persistence
Rising Above Market Uncertainty
A panel discussion, chaired by BMPAN Co-Founder Atlyn Forde, examined what it actually takes to thrive through a shifting market.
From the skills advisers need for the next decade to where accountability sits when AI and structural change outpace individual resilience.
Michael Brown, Head of Business Development at April Mortgages, opening comment noted that the scale of change seen in recent years would once have taken decades to unfold.
What skills would prove most valuable going forward?
Damian Thompson, Director of Mortgage Intermediaries and Partnerships at Nationwide, pointed not to new skills but to relevance itself: “You’ve got to challenge yourself and ask, am I relevant in my role? To my employer? To my kids? To my partner?” His approach: stop asking what an organisation can do for you and start identifying the problems you can help it solve.
On technology - Automation & AI
Michael Brown observed that clients now arrive with far more information and sometimes more confidence than the advice process is built to handle. His advice: treat AI adoption as a competitive advantage rather than a threat. Those who embrace it early will be the ones who move furthest ahead.
A Fireside Chat: The Economics of Change
One of the evening’s standout moments was a fireside conversation between Trevor Williams, Chief Economist at TW Consultancy, and Jeffrey Krampah-Williams, Co-Founder of BMPAN.
Trevor Williams is one of the most respected economists in the UK, known for his work across global banking and his regular commentary on the forces shaping the wider economy. Jeffrey Krampah-Williams brings his own economic insight to the table daily, providing regular market updates and forecasting in his current role.
Economic Expertise
Together, the two unpacked what’s actually driving the shifts intermediaries are feeling on the ground, moving past headlines to the real forces behind affordability pressures, rate movements and the wider economic outlook.
It was a rare opportunity for the room to hear world-class economic thinking applied directly to the mortgage and financial services market, delivered with the credibility of two people who track these trends for a living. For many in the room, this was the highlight of the evening — sharp, motivational and a reminder of exactly the kind of expertise BMPAN is able to bring to its community.
Meet the Community
#BMPAN exists to expand opportunity, increase representation and enable a broader range of talent to flourish across financial services because that is not only fair, but fundamental to the strength of this industry and the long-term success of businesses.
