Industry association to begin search for new CEO
Vic Jannels (pictured) will retire as chief executive officer of the Bridging & Development Lenders Association (BDLA) at the end of the year, the trade body has confirmed.
Jannels, who took on the CEO role in 2019 when the group was still known as the Association of Short-Term Lenders (ASTL), has overseen significant changes during his tenure. The BDLA’s membership has grown to nearly 100 organisations, and the collective loan book of its lender members has expanded from £4 billion to almost £13 billion.
His retirement marks the end of a career in the secured lending and mortgage industry spanning more than five decades. Before joining the BDLA, Jannels held senior management positions across lender, packager, and broker sectors, served on the board of the Association of Mortgage Intermediaries (AMI), and acted as executive chairman at Impact Specialist Finance, where he led the bridging and commercial specialist team.
He has also been a director at One Mortgage System (OMS) and has received multiple industry awards recognising his service and leadership, including the Lifetime Achievement Award at The Mortgage Introducer Awards 2024.
“It’s been a real privilege to serve as CEO of the BDLA and I’m extremely proud of what we’ve achieved during my tenure,” Jannels said. “We’ve launched the Certified Practitioner in Specialist Property Finance (CPSP) qualification, which has helped raise standards across the sector; we’ve worked closely with the sector as it has grown through regulatory and challenging economic periods.
“We’ve introduced the annual Bridging Market Survey in collaboration with Interpath Advisory; and we have now collaborated with SIRA in the development of a sophisticated early warning fraud platform that will prove a huge leap forward for short-term lending.
“Given all of this and, having spent more than 53 years in the world of mortgages, it now feels like the right time to hand over the BDLA reins to someone new who can lead the association in its next growth phase. I look forward to supporting the transition during the remainder of the year.”
Alan Margolis, director at Greymax and member of the BDLA executive committee, acknowledged Jannels’ impact on the organisation and the sector.
“Vic’s contribution to the BDLA and the wider industry cannot be overstated,” Margolis said. “His leadership, energy and integrity have helped to shape the BDLA into the authoritative and respected organisation it is today. On behalf of the Executive Committee and our members, I want to thank him for his tireless service and dedication.
“We are committed to finding a successor who can build on Vic’s legacy and continue to champion the interests of bridging and development lenders - especially in continuing the BDLA's lead across fraud prevention, education and policy representation.”
Want to be regularly updated with mortgage news and features? Get exclusive interviews, breaking news, and industry events in your inbox – subscribe to our FREE daily newsletter. You can also follow us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and LinkedIn.
