The Intermediary – April 2025 - Flipbook - Page 14
In Profile.
Investec
Marvin Onumonu sits down with Peter Izard, head of
business development intermediary mortgages at Investec,
to explore innovative strategies for the evolving landscape
of high-net-worth (HNW) banking
P
eter Izard, who joined Investec 11
years ago, has nearly 35 years of
experience, including roles in large
corporations, emerging startups,
and building societies.
Guided by a client-led philosophy as well as
Izard’s own years of experience, Investec primarily
targets clients in the UK with a primary income of
over £300,000, and ideally, net assets of £3m or
more. However, according to Izard, it is not just the
financial metrics that define Investec’s clientele.
Where traditional banks see risk, Izard sees
untapped potential. He says: “Our focus is on
entrepreneurially minded clients on an upward
earnings trajectory.”
Optimism amid economic shifts
In an era characterised by economic uncertainty,
high living costs, and general negativity about the
property market, Izard provides a refreshingly
optimistic perspective.
He says: “Any economic uncertainty provides
opportunity. High-net-worth individuals are
naturally entrepreneurial. While no one loves
uncertainty, it invariably leads to opportunity.”
He adds: “Clients don’t perceive debt as
an obstacle to be shunned. They consider
it a necessary tool to capitalise on growth
opportunities.”
It is this understanding of strategic leveraging
that aligns closely with Investec’s broader financial
philosophy, which endeavours to see potential in
places others might overlook.
Reflecting on the current interest rate
landscape, Izard hopes that this sense of potential
extends beyond the individual borrower, impacting
broader financial markets in kind.
He says: “The current thinking is that World
Central Banks, including the Bank of England, may
well have to reduce interest rates further than
they perhaps were predicted to, and if the cost of
borrowing comes down, that gives the high-networth market an opportunity as well.”
Despite these opportunities, Izard acknowledges
the challenges: “[Economic] uncertainty means
that businesses may not invest. They may sit on
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The Intermediary | April 2025
their capital and choose not to do anything with
it. We need to be in a cycle of growth in order to
move forward.”
Discussing the impact of global trade tensions,
such as the ongoing turmoil around US President
Donald Trump’s tariff announcements, Izard
notes: “The macroeconomic issues that this tariff
uncertainty gives don’t help any of us. It’s a very
fast-moving situation, and every day the news
agenda changes, but I’ve always been a great
believer that we can only control what we can
control. So, you must act with what you’ve got,
and the information that you have ahead of you
and be pragmatic.”
Following the recent Spring Statement, Izard
notes the lack of Government intervention
regarding the struggling housing market.
He says: “There wasn’t too much direct
assistance in the mortgage world or in the
intermediary world at all. The only thing
was the reaffirmation of the desire for
the current Government to
massively increase the
amount of building
supply.”
Despite a lack
of movement on
housing reform,
Izard emphasises the
ongoing influence
of economic
uncertainty
on investment
strategies. “Any
economic uncertainty
provides opportunity,” he
reiterates, emphasising
that “high-net-
PETER IZARD
