Meet our new BDM, Claire Graham

Claire will work with south Wales intermediaries over the phone and out on the road, helping them make the right match for their customers. 

We got to know our new recruit…

Hi Claire, Welcome to the Society. Tell me a bit about your background? How did you get into this field?

I’m originally from Ireland. I moved to Wales to study at Aberystwyth University. I have since worked within financial services for over 10 years. I’ve been a mortgage advisor for 8 of those years, spending the last two years as a whole of market mortgage broker.

Why did you want to work for Monmouthshire? 

I aspired to move into a Business Development role for mortgage intermediaries, to align my passion of making connections and building communities alongside my experience within the industry. Monmouthshire Building Society has an impeccable reputation. I knew others in the industry who mentioned what a great place it is to work, along with the best people, so when I saw the job role advertised, I knew I wanted to start my BDM journey with them as an approachable, flexible and caring employer.

What can you offer to intermediaries that sets us apart from others?

The relationship. I am who I am because I love people! I genuinely go through life making friends with people because without friends and family, what is the point?! Making those memories, having fun experiences and having a positive impact on people’s lives is what it’s all about!

Tell us about the groups you run in your spare time?

I am very passionate about supporting women in business. I think more than ever we need to lift-up and support women in the workplace and in their careers! We deal with very different life experiences to men. So, I have created a safe and uplifting environment for likeminded businesswomen to meet on a monthly basis in both Newport and Cardiff to help grow their business, share and connect with one another, and more importantly we have all become friends and have a wonderful community.

What do you like to do in your downtime?

I am a Zin qualified Zumba instructor and run five live classes every week! Being a busy mum of two small kids, I run all my classes on Zoom. I am on a mission to make classes and exercise affordable and accessible to everyone, and have another community of wonderful ladies who join my live workouts at 6am before the chaos of the day begins!

If you’re a south Wales broker and fancy a chat with Claire, you can reach her at Claire.graham@monbs.com