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Meet the Team - Shepherd Direct
Paul Gratton – Executive Chairman
Paul joined Midland Bank in 1978 and undertook a full range of branch and area management roles. In 1989 he joined the team that designed and launched First Direct where he was Financial Services Director.
In 1996 he joined Prudential to work on building a direct financial services business. The result was Egg, the internet bank, which Paul led as CEO until 2006 when he left to develop his own portfolio of businesses in a mix of executive and non executive roles. Direct Valuations was the first of those businesses which he founded with Chris Hickling in 1989 and which was the UK’s first valuations panel manager.
Simon Jackson – Chief Operating Officer and Head of Surveying
Simon joined Egg in 1998, where he initially ran the call centre and later he ran the back office operation. In 2004 Simon was appointed Chief Operating Officer for the retail division of Aon responsible for global corporate clients and whilst there, rolled out a massive operational improvement and cultural change programme. Simon joined Direct Valuations in 2007 as Managing Director. He has a wealth of expertise and experience gained in over 20 years working in the financial services and operations arena. In addition, Simon was appointed Managing Director of moneyQuest Mortgage Brokers in July 2008. As Chief Operating Officer, Simon has oversight across all of the Shepherd Direct Group businesses.
Rob Clifford - Group Commercial Director and Head of Financial Services
Rob has over 25 years experience in the financial services sector including senior posts as Managing Director of Virgin Money, a Director at West Bromwich Building Society, and Chief Executive at mortgageforce. Rob has led a number of successful start-up companies, including mortgageforce, which he jointly owned with Direct Valuations from inception until its acquisition in 2005.
He returned to the group in 2009 and since then has helped to set up if I were you and Direct Lettings. He is a former Examiner for the mortgage industry’s professional qualifications body, a director of the Mortgage Code Compliance Board and Deputy Chairman of the Association of Mortgage Intermediaries. Rob’s comments are frequently carried in the trade and national press in relation to financial services and regulation.
George Brewster – Director
George qualified as a Chartered Surveyor in 1983 and joined the partnership of J & E Shepherd that same year. George has gained considerable knowledge and expertise during his many years practising as a chartered surveyor and he has worked all over the country, particularly in Tayside, Aberdeen and Dumfries, but now considers his home to be Edinburgh.
He became a partner at J & E in 1990. In 2002 George was responsible for cementing and building the relationship between the J & E Partnership and Direct Valuations, with the extension of the traditional core valuation business into England and Wales. In 2007, George was appointed as Senior Partner. His wealth of experience gained over 25 years adds an additional layer of strength and expertise to the Board.
Ian J Fergusson – Director
Ian joined J & E Shepherd in 1994. Ian has vast knowledge and experience of the property market acquired over twenty years in the sector. During the past few years, Ian has been directly responsible for overseeing the expansion of Shepherd Surveyors in England and Wales since its inception in 2002. More recently, Ian has been actively involved in the expansion of the professional services business by opening new offices in Mayfair, London & St Hellier, Jersey.
Ian has also been involved in the management and shaping of the co-branded businesses including Direct Valuations and Shepherd Surveyors. In addition Ian has been directly involved in “delivering the business solution” by embracing new and improved IT systems to improve customer service.
Nathan Cozens - Director of Xbond & Corporate Development Director of Direct Lettings
Nathan gained his experience in property from the early days as a Quantity Surveyor in London, moving on to residential development in the UK and then, more recently, as a partner in a leading UK property agency based in Hong Kong. Nathan was co-founder of London based Estate Agency Rubicon in the early 1990’s. In 2007, he helped to set up Xbond with Paul Gratton. Nathan joined forces with Shepherd Direct once again in 2011 to set up Direct Lettings, where he joins us as Corporate Development Director.
Meet more of the team.....
Paul joined Midland Bank in 1978 and undertook a full range of branch and area management roles. In 1989 he joined the team that designed and launched First Direct where he was Financial Services Director. In 1996 he joined Prudential to work on building a direct financial services business. The result was Egg, the internet bank, which Paul led as CEO until 2006 when he left to develop his own portfolio of businesses in a mix of executive and non executive roles. Direct Valuations was the first of those businesses which he founded with Chris Hickling in 1989 and which was the UK’s first valuations panel manager.
Simon Jackson – Chief Operating Officer and Head of Surveying
Simon joined Egg in 1998, where he initially ran the call centre and later he ran the back office operation. In 2004 Simon was appointed Chief Operating Officer for the retail division of Aon responsible for global corporate clients and whilst there, rolled out a massive operational improvement and cultural change programme. Simon joined Direct Valuations in 2007 as Managing Director. He has a wealth of expertise and experience gained in over 20 years working in the financial services and operations arena. In addition, Simon was appointed Managing Director of moneyQuest Mortgage Brokers in July 2008. As Chief Operating Officer, Simon has oversight across all of the Shepherd Direct Group businesses.
Rob Clifford - Group Commercial Director and Head of Financial Services
Rob has over 25 years experience in the financial services sector including senior posts as Managing Director of Virgin Money, a Director at West Bromwich Building Society, and Chief Executive at mortgageforce. Rob has led a number of successful start-up companies, including mortgageforce, which he jointly owned with Direct Valuations from inception until its acquisition in 2005. He returned to the group in 2009 and since then has helped to set up if I were you and Direct Lettings. He is a former Examiner for the mortgage industry’s professional qualifications body, a director of the Mortgage Code Compliance Board and Deputy Chairman of the Association of Mortgage Intermediaries. Rob’s comments are frequently carried in the trade and national press in relation to financial services and regulation.
George Brewster – Director
George qualified as a Chartered Surveyor in 1983 and joined the partnership of J & E Shepherd that same year. George has gained considerable knowledge and expertise during his many years practising as a chartered surveyor and he has worked all over the country, particularly in Tayside, Aberdeen and Dumfries, but now considers his home to be Edinburgh. He became a partner at J & E in 1990. In 2002 George was responsible for cementing and building the relationship between the J & E Partnership and Direct Valuations, with the extension of the traditional core valuation business into England and Wales. In 2007, George was appointed as Senior Partner. His wealth of experience gained over 25 years adds an additional layer of strength and expertise to the Board.
Ian J Fergusson – Director
Ian joined J & E Shepherd in 1994. Ian has vast knowledge and experience of the property market acquired over twenty years in the sector. During the past few years, Ian has been directly responsible for overseeing the expansion of Shepherd Surveyors in England and Wales since its inception in 2002. More recently, Ian has been actively involved in the expansion of the professional services business by opening new offices in Mayfair, London & St Hellier, Jersey. Ian has also been involved in the management and shaping of the co-branded businesses including Direct Valuations and Shepherd Surveyors. In addition Ian has been directly involved in “delivering the business solution” by embracing new and improved IT systems to improve customer service.
Nathan Cozens - Director of Xbond & Corporate Development Director of Direct Lettings
Nathan gained his experience in property from the early days as a Quantity Surveyor in London, moving on to residential development in the UK and then, more recently, as a partner in a leading UK property agency based in Hong Kong. Nathan was co-founder of London based Estate Agency Rubicon in the early 1990’s. In 2007, he helped to set up Xbond with Paul Gratton. Nathan joined forces with Shepherd Direct once again in 2011 to set up Direct Lettings, where he joins us as Corporate Development Director.
Meet more of the team.....