The Intermediary – August 2025 - Flipbook - Page 49
I N P RO F I L E
respect. We are fortunate that we work with some
fantastic brokers, but respect is a two-way street”.
Talent and culture
From the outset, culture has been a cornerstone of
Breeze Capital’s strategy.
Not only does Harrison want to ensure his
people avoid the “Sunday scaries,” but he also
wants to build a business that moves away from
the “male, pale, stale” stereotype still prevalent in
parts of the financial sector.
To attract the right talent in a competitive
market, Breeze Capital often recruits from outside
the industry and invests in training. A significant
focus is also placed on improving gender
representation, with a high proportion of female
hires to ensure diversity at every level.
“This takes more time, but we’ve built a positive
and inclusive culture,” says Harrison.
“Many of our team came from environments
where they felt intimidated or excluded. That’s not
what we’re about.”
For the business, this focus on culture
ecourages openness and accountability,
with those on the ground able to affect
change and voice their ideas or concerns
without fear. This, in turn, avoids ‘group
think’ within decision-making and
mitigates risk.
The effects are obvious in the
everyday, Harrison adds: “The energy is
higher, people are more positive, and the
industry needed this shift.”
A key hire in this cultural transformation
was Natalie Smethurst as director of credit risk in
2022. Harrison, who describes himself as a natural
salesperson, views Smethurst as the essential
counterpart to his style, and an important source
of challenge and balance to keep the machinery of
the business running smoothly.
“She keeps the business grounded,” he says. “I
might want to say yes to everything, but not every
deal should go through. Natalie ensures that we
protect our investors’ capital.
“If I’m not being challenged, I know I’m probably
making the wrong decisions. It’s all about balance.”
Products and projects
Over the past year, Breeze Capital has seen a
particular trend, with refurbishment becoming one
of its most popular products, accounting for about
80% of its current business. Harrison attributes
this to both market conditions and the business’
own internal strengths.
“Ground-up developers have faced real
challenges,” he says.
“Even with a change in Government, planning
processes haven’t improved. Many developers
are turning to refurbishments, particularly those
allowed under permitted development.”
The success of Breeze’s refurb proposition,
Harrison says, is also due to the lender’s ability to
distinguish itself competitively, with strong rates
and flexible service grounded in market expertise.
He adds: “We work with excellent surveyors,
valuers and lawyers who really understand
the refurbishment process, and these thirdparty partners are key to making property
refurbishments a success. We don’t apply a onesize-fits-all approach either, and this case-by-case
flexibility pays dividends.”
While Harrison does not anticipate a major
improvement for ground-up developers in the near
term, he does outline a number of opportunities
for those in this market to keep moving and make
the most of the situation. This includes office to
residential conversions, and semi-commercial
refurbishments.
Future opportunities
In the bridging market, Harrison looks
ahead to a world in which automated
valuation models (AVMs), which Breeze
Capital already has in play, become
standard.
This means working towards better
and more valuable data, particularly on
those properties that do not perfectly fit
the bill.
Despite these advancements, Harrison
believes there are still lessons to be learned from
MARK
HARRISON the past.
He explains: “20 years ago, bridging was all
about the asset. You could get funding at 60%
loan-to-value [LTV] within 24 hours.
“Now, the product has shifted toward more
underwriting and more checks. It’s become a
hybrid of residential lending, especially if you want
more competitive rates and fees.”
For Breeze Capital, the future means expanding
the sales and marketing team, and potentially
offering other property-related products, such as
revolving credit.
Harrison aims, ultimately, to provide a greater
range of solutions for customers who buy into the
brand he has built.
“I want to grow the business the right way, with
the right people and culture,” he concludes.
“We’re not trying to become a massive
organisation. We aim to stay small, nimble and
profitable. We enjoy what we do, and we do
it well.” ●
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