New appointment enables mortgage consultancy founder to accelerate business development plans

A former Super League player who set up his own mortgages business is kicking on in a new business development role ahead of schedule after making his latest signing.

James Green, founder and managing director of Green & Green, acted quickly to recruit Matt Collinson, who has joined the firm as mortgage and protection adviser and brings nearly 20 years of finance experience to the role.

James said: “We’ve been working to a gradual growth plan with me moving into a business development role and we decided to accelerate that when we heard Matt was available.

“There are some great advisers out there but they are not doing the levels of business that we would expect here. We know Matt can handle the caseload. He’s more experienced than I am, with a proven track record and his job is to come in and take my job off me so we can work on bringing in some exciting new ideas.”

James launched the business in 2020 in readiness for retiring from a rugby league career which included 10 years with Hull Kingston Rovers, with six of those in the first team. 

He then played for various clubs across the north and the game followed him into his new career with professional athletes looking to tap into his experience of finding mortgage options suited to the uncertain environment of short-term contracts.

Matt started working in finance in 2007 and has been qualified in mortgages since 2014. Having worked in large organisations for most of his career in the sector, he’s looking forward to providing a more personal service as part of Green & Green’s team of six based at ergo Business Centre at Bridgehead, Hessle.

Matt said: “I’ve worked as a remote, phone-based adviser in the past and done very well in a team which grew substantially. But I prefer the personal touch and I’m at my best when I can be involved in everything from start to finish, holding customers’ hands throughout the process.

“Green & Green aligns to what I’ve always aimed to deliver for my clients. Be responsive, deliver great service, keep customers at the forefront of everything I do, take them from the starting point to getting the keys for their new homes and beyond. Protecting them every step of the way.”

“They’re known for their eye-catching marketing, professional image and a nice welcoming location for customers to visit and that’s important. The company is at the point now where my arrival gives James the freedom to focus on the things he wants to do to make the business grow organically.”

James added: “We have always been a small team and we intend to stay that way, with cautious and gradual expansion rather than growth for growth’s sake. Our goal is to perfect the process for people buying a home because it’s one of the most stressful things people do other than relationships and we think we have a responsibility to make it as easy as possible.

“This is a big milestone for us and all part of our review of what we can do to reduce the number of steps which our clients have to do for themselves. The average house purchase takes four months and we want to speed that up.

“We don’t have big plans to employ more people but we will be doing more with technology and AI and working to increase the education and awareness among clients about buying homes.”