Rebecca Lewis has been hired as head of operations for Afin Bank, the specialist lender and savings provider that launched in October last year.
She will oversee the customer-facing functions, including lending operations and customer service, when the bank starts offering products later in the year.
Lewis has huge experience in financial services operations, particularly in the building society sector where she has had roles with Dudley Building Society, Skipton Building Society and most recently as head of customer service at Tipton and Coseley Building Society.
Afin Bank has been created to support underserved customers, such as self-employed and high net worth borrowers, but in particular people from Africa living in the UK who find it difficult to get a mortgage from mainstream borrowers because of their visa status or lack of credit history.
Lewis said it was the opportunity to help an overlooked community of customers that appealed to her when joining Afin Bank. She explained: “We want to understand our customers and build relationships with them, it’s about us creating a bank that customers can trust. My past experience working in building societies has shown me how valuable supporting the communities around us can be.
She added: “Customer feedback is important to understand the challenges they are facing, so that we can adapt our processes and products to their needs. Customer service isn’t just about being pleasant on the phone, it’s about finding ways that make managing your finances as straightforward and effortless as possible.”
Lewis will be based at Afin Bank’s Centre of Excellence, which opened in the heart of Birmingham at the end of last year. She is currently building the teams and processes to support both Afin Bank’s mortgages and savings propositions, which are on track to launch this year.
