Judging Panel 2025

Chair of the Judges: Adam Cadle, Editor, MoneyAge
David Burrowes, Chair, Equity Release Council
Simon Cockerill, Group Head of Intermediary Sales, OSB Group
Paul Hunt, Managing Director, Square 1 Media
Richard Merrett, Managing Director, Alexander Hall
Karen Rodrigues, Head of National Accounts, Market Financial Solutions 
Robert Sinclair, Chief Executive, AMI and AFB
John Somerville, Director of Financial Services, LIBF
Adam Tyler, FIBA Consultant
Sally Wright, Head of Distribution, Paragon Banking Group  

Chair of the judges: Adam Cadle, Editor, MoneyAge
Adam Cadle is a business and finance journalist with over ten years’ experience, and is currently the editor of MoneyAge, the leading brand for IFAs, mortgage brokers and the financial services sector. He is also the editor of Insurance Asset Management, overseeing the rise of the brand since 2016. Adam previously worked as deputy editor on Pensions Age and European Pensions. He has chaired a number of judging panels over the years both in the personal finance and insurance asset management spaces, and has strong experience in chairing conferences. He is a graduate from Sussex University with a BA honours in French and History.

David Burrowes, Chair, Equity Release Council
David has been the Equity Release Council’s chairman since 2017 and a solicitor for 25 years. He was MP for Enfield Southgate from 2005 to 2017. David has championed social justice and consumer protection, working on behalf of his constituents on issues relating to pensions and financial services products and working closely with ministers, regulators and banks.

Simon Cockerill, Group Head of Intermediary Sales, OSB Group
Simon joined OSB Group in December 2017 as Head of Sales for Kent Reliance for Intermediaries, a key role in developing strong broker partnerships with intermediaries across the UK. Simon has recently been promoted to Group Head of Intermediary Sales.Simon oversees the sales activity for the brands, including broker partnerships, as well as aligning the activity of the field and office business development teams, plus the broker contact centres across three sites.
Simon has over 25 years of experience in the financial services sector, having held positions at Nationwide, Mortgage Advice Bureau and Virgin Money, consistently working in the mortgage broker market during that time.

Paul Hunt, Managing Director, Square 1 Media
Paul has worked in marketing within the financial services and property sectors in a career spanning over 25 years. Since 2001, he has held Head of or Marketing Director roles in businesses like Platform (the intermediary lender of Co-op), Lehman Brothers and Countrywide and has managed both B2B and B2C.
His experience includes relaunching Platform in 2003 following the merger with Verso, setting up a bids team at Countrywide to win multi million £ valuation contracts with lenders, acting as PR spokesperson, launching the largest PRS development in the North West of England and building a customer retention model for Countrywide’s financial services business.
A well known industry spokesperson, he has an extensive contact list across the mortgage industry.

Richard Merrett, Managing Director, Alexander Hall
Richard Merrett is Managing Director of Alexander Hall, one of the UK’s leading mortgage brokers and part of the Foxtons Group. He has also held Director positions with largemortgageloans.com and in Distribution with SimplyBiz Mortgages. He currently sits on the AMI Board and is Chair of the Green Mortgage Advice Initiative (formerly Mortgage Climate Action Group).

Karen Rodrigues, Head of National Accounts, Market Financial Solutions
Karen Rodrigues became Head of National Accounts at Market Financial Solutions (MFS) when she joined the team in July 2023. With over 20 years’ experience in the mortgage intermediary sector, Karen is focused on bringing MFS’ wide range of fast and flexible financial products to the large clubs, networks & packagers across the UK. Starting her career in financial services with Halifax, Karen has always worked closely with mortgage intermediaries, focusing on networking to build longstanding and deep relationship and understanding the service requirements of networks, clubs, packagers and mortgage brokers. Karen moved to One Savings Bank, where she was a National Account Manager working on both the Kent Reliance and Prestige Finance brands, as well as holding positions at Aldermore Mortgages, GE Money and Kensington. Karen worked as Corporate Sales Manager for Vida Homeloans for 4 years, and in April 2020, Karen joined ULS technology, now Smoove as director of sales.

Robert Sinclair, Chief Executive, AMI and AFB
Robert helped establish the Association of Mortgage Intermediaries (AMI) as an independent entity on 1 February 2012. Robert joined the former parent trade body, AIFA, in October 2006, initially looking after the Association of Finance Brokers and since 2008, AMI. He looks after the day-to-day running of AMI and AFB by lobbying government, regulators and other policy-makers, liaising with fellow trade bodies and briefing the national and trade press. He brings a wealth of industry experience to the trade body having held a number of front line sales roles in personal, private and corporate banking combined with experience in marketing, training and internal audit with both HSBC and Santander. Robert is also a non-executive director of the Buckinghamshire Building Society and advises the Bank of England as a member of the Residential Property Forum.

John Somerville, Director of Financial Services, LIBF
With over three decades of experience in Regulated Financial Services, John Somerville has held various roles, including Financial Adviser, Regional Manager, and Business Development Manager at renowned companies such as Aviva, AXA, and Legal and General. Prior to joining LIBF, John served as the Regulated Learning and Development Manager at Nationwide Building Society and as a Regulated Learning and Development Consultant at Intrinsic Financial Services, now Quilter. For the past six years, John has been dedicated to nurturing the next generation of Banking, Mortgage and Financial Advice Professionals at LIBF. He takes immense pride in helping individuals achieve their qualification ambitions, thus playing a vital role in shaping the future of the UK Financial Services Profession.

Adam Tyler, FIBA Consultant 
Adam began his early life as a Merchant Navy officer with Shell before coming ashore. Following a career with the Royal Bank of Scotland, in 2005 Adam took over the running of a financial Trade Association responsible for 1600 Commercial Finance Brokers and 140 lenders to business. During that period he oversaw lending to SME's of around £100 billion. In addition he also had the chance to help shape and influence some of the new business lenders that came to market following the financial crisis. Adam is the Chairman of the Financial Intermediary and Broker Association, a non-exec Director of a Westminster based Small Business group and he also owns and runs a Finance Platform helping businesses across the country gain better access to finance.

Sally Wright, Head of Distribution, Paragon Banking Group
Sally has over 35 years’ experience in financial services, and previously held the role of Head of Intermediary Distribution at Hampshire Trust Bank, and before that Head of Sales at Vida Homeloans. She has a vast amount of experience from her time in the intermediary sector, including roles with OSB, Rooftop Mortgages, Mortgage Trust and Nationwide. Sally is now Head of Distribution at Paragon, where she is tasked with building relationships with the largest network and club partners. With a focus on raising awareness of the banks buy-to-let proposition, Sally is working to broaden the distribution network and ensure strategies are aligned and opportunities are maximised.