VAS Group has appointed one of the UK’s leading valuations market specialists, Ian Wimpenny to the newly created role of technical panel director.

A chartered surveyor and RICS registered valuer with 20 years’ experience, he will be responsible for development and quality control of the VAS Panel database, member surveying firms and reporting as well as dealing with lenders on the seamless integration of the panel management solution into existing systems.

Wimpenny will also be working within VAS Audit to provide additional support to its existing clients and assisting in auditor quality control across the group.

He joins from Altus Group where he held the position of head of UK for Altus Analytics Advisory, before which he was a director of EMEA Valuation Advisory for JLL. Most recently he has specialised in valuation review and management, which focused on valuation methodologies, reporting and risk management.

Wimpenny said: “VAS Group’s proprietary technology solutions mean the business is uniquely placed to help clients scale whilst mitigating risk in what is a rapidly changing and evolving debt market landscape.

“VAS Panel delivers huge value-add for lenders as well as valuers. Done properly, it reduces the administration burden for both parties and increases speed of execution without compromising quality or increasing risk, this can often give lenders the advantage they need to secure a deal.

“I am excited to be joining such a dynamic, fast-paced business with enormous potential. The growing team is talented, committed and puts the clients’ interests at the heart of everything they do, I intend to play an integral role in ensuring the business achieves its full potential.”

Stephen Todd, co-founder and managing director of VAS Group added: “Our primary importance as a business is to provide consistently high reporting standards and a market leading service to our lender clients and valuation partners, and Ian will ensure we succeed in that goal.

“His vast experience in the valuations industry is second-to-none, this appointment is a real coup for VAS Group and a hugely positive statement of intent.”

The VAS Group consists of three divisions: VAS Panel provides a full valuation panel management service which ensures the most relevant companies are instructed based on location, deal type and value; VAS Audit provides valuation auditing services to reduce property specific lending risks.

VAS Software is a cloud-based valuation panel management framework system which allows lenders to better manage their own panels.