Redwood Bank reinforces commitment to underwriting expertise with crucial appointment
Redwood Bank is doubling down on its investment in expert underwriting at a time when increasingly complex borrowing scenarios require greater flexibility and individual assessment.
The specialist business bank has appointed senior underwriting manager Omkar Hushing, who brings more than 15 years in structured and non-bank lending, to support its continued growth and expanding product range. The appointment coincides with Redwood’s investment in new technology, including credit decisioning tools, as the Bank continues to work with key partners to streamline broker and customer journeys, enhance customer experience and accelerate deal processing from application through to completion.
Against the evolving backdrop of the UK landlord market, Redwood believes every application should be assessed on its individual merits, enabling experienced underwriters to consider the full context behind a case and allowing for informed decisions based on the whole picture.
Omkar said Redwood’s philosophy of manual, case-by-case underwriting aligns closely with his own approach, which enables underwriters to consider the wider circumstances surrounding a borrower alongside their credit profile.
He said: “It’s not about looking for reasons to decline a case. It’s about understanding the Bank’s risk appetite and seeing how a deal can be structured to work for both the customer and the Bank.
“It’s prioritising the borrower first and not using policies and processes as excuses or to hide behind certain things.”
He was particularly impressed by Redwood’s approach, which avoids purely automated decision-making. “Redwood is not a place where things are done a certain way just because that’s how they’ve always been done. There’s a genuine focus on improving processes and doing things better.”
Omkar was also drawn to Redwood’s growth ambitions and its approach to collaborative lending, where decisions are made with a strong focus on commerciality and customer outcomes.
“I was keen to get back into a specialist banking environment. Redwood stood out because of its ambition, its growth plans and the opportunity to contribute to the next phase of its journey.
“What has impressed me most since joining is the culture. There is a real focus on collaboration and an open-door approach across the business. Everyone is working towards the same goal, with brokers and customers at the centre of every decision.”
David Kennedy, chief operating officer at Redwood Bank, said: “Omkar’s appointment further strengthens our underwriting capabilities as we continue to grow and enhance our lending proposition.
“He brings extensive experience across specialist lending and underwriting, along with a strong understanding of lending operations and risk management. His expertise will play an important role as we continue to invest in our people, processes and products to support brokers and customers across the specialist finance market.”