Who’s Emma Roberts? | Behind the Broker: Emma Roberts on Leadership, Lending Trends & Broker Growth at Connect
At Connect, every mortgage journey starts with a story. Emma Roberts’ story is one of purpose, consistency, and clarity. As our Head of Intermediary Relationships, Emma has helped shape a supportive culture that reflects the values of our entire network.
Who’s Emma Roberts? | A Career Sparked by Serendipity, Guided by Vision
Emma’s path into mortgages began by chance. While considering a return to finance, she explored a role at Fluent Money. That decision marked a turning point—she describes it as “the best decision I’ve ever made.”
It was at Fluent where Emma met Connect CEO Liz Syms. At a time when women were underrepresented at industry events, their shared outlook formed the basis of a long-standing connection. That connection later led Emma to join Connect, where she has thrived under the leadership of Liz and Sales Director Kevin Thomson.
A Network Built on Depth and Diversity
Connect’s lending panel is broad and responsive to the evolving needs of brokers. From bridging to buy-to-let, and second charge to development finance, activity continues to rise, particularly in bridging and second charges. To meet this demand, we welcomed Daniel Burdett as Head of Second Charges to enhance our specialist support.
Emma explains, “Second charges are vital in today’s market, especially after the cost-of-living crisis. Flexibility is essential.” In high-demand regions such as the South East, pressures on buy-to-let affordability have made innovative solutions more important than ever, especially for remortgaging landlords.
Who’s Emma Roberts? | Helping Brokers Explore New Opportunities
A key part of our service is the broad support offered across mainstream and specialist lending. Advisers want to develop, and we make that development achievable. Under the guidance of Training Director Jim Selley, our monthly sessions cover bridging, development, and commercial lending.
Brokers who want to continue with their mainstream firm can still access the specialist space. We offer dual-entity models—a rare feature among networks. As Emma puts it: “We’ll meet you where you are and support your ambitions.”
Who’s Emma Roberts? | Expanding Influence, One Specialist at a Time
With more than 170 lenders on our panel, Connect’s reach is considerable. Yet we continue to expand. Development finance is a key focus in 2025 and beyond. Following the success of our bridging and commercial expert leagues, we will launch a Development Expert League. This initiative offers top-performing brokers valuable benefits and recognises them as go-to specialists in their fields.
Fair Remuneration for Product Transfers
Product Transfers remain widely discussed across the sector. Our stance is clear: PTs require proper advice, research, and care. Lenders should reflect this in how they pay advisers. Clients benefit from our support, and adviser input should be recognised accordingly.
Smoother Network Transitions
Changing networks often creates stress for brokers—unpaid commissions, long exit processes, or excessive fees. Connect does things differently. Our recruitment team, led by Tracy Robinson, ensures smooth transitions.
The Connect Academy helps new advisers gain Competent Adviser Status with confidence. Whether you’re scaling a firm or beginning your advisory career, the academy provides practical training while allowing your business to continue running.
Growth That Keeps Broker Needs in Focus
Our approach to distribution is twofold—deepening ties with current brokers while opening doors for new advisers. Through our packaging and referral services, we support brokers both inside and outside the network. Whether it’s a one-off case or regular business, we’re structured to help.
We are also hiring for key roles, including a manager for our Specialist Placement Team. All growth decisions are made with advisers’ best interests at the forefront.
Looking Ahead: Challenges and Opportunities
Affordability and loan-to-value limits remain a challenge, particularly in areas with higher house prices. These challenges, however, open doors in other areas. Protection is one of them. With Consumer Duty driving focus on better client outcomes, we’re helping advisers feel confident when offering or referring protection business.
Emma shares: “We’re building a future where protection is not an afterthought but a central part of client care.”
Why Brokers Choose Connect
At Connect, advisers can choose their permissions, write across all business types, and access training that keeps pace with the market. From start-ups to established firms, and from employed advisers to self-employed brokers, our network is built to support growth, innovation, and daily success.
We are always ready to help—whenever you are ready to talk.
Thank you for reading our “Who’s Emma Roberts? | Head of Intermediary Relationships” publication. Stay “Connect“-ed for more updates soon!