Brilliant Solutions

The office will be closed from 5pm today for staff training, open as normal tomorrow. 

Our office will be closed from 5pm Thursday, 20th October to 9am Friday, 21st October.
If you have any cases or enquiries that this may affect, please contact our team today. We apologise for any inconvenience.

We are currently experiencing some technical issues that are affecting our telephone lines and internet connection.

We hope to resolve this asap. Apologies for the inconvenience.

 

In honour of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II our offices will be closed on Monday 19th September while our staff pay their respects.

The office will re-open at 9am on Tuesday 20th September.

Home » Meet the Team

Meet the Team

Delivering for our partners and clients can only be achieved through working together as one team. Below are some of the people supporting you at Brilliant Solutions. Get in touch. Click on any Brilliant team member to obtain their contact details.

Senior Management

Matthew Arena

Group Managing Director
M: 07808 922383

An entrepreneur that enjoys working with brokers and lenders alike.  A big advocate of tech & good consumer advice. 

Matt loves Italian food, sport and comedy.  He tells us he cycles in his spare time…  He has 3 children but Brilliant is his 4th!   

Michael Craig

Managing Director
M: 07912 581123

Our relationship with brokers is second to none thanks to Michael’s dedication.  Only Brilliant will do, giving us an edge when building relationships. He is experienced & focused on creating opportunities. 

When time allows, Michael enjoys his time with his wife & 3 children or watching football, supporting the Mighty Reds (Nottingham Forest).

Lee Parkin

Head of Preformance
M: 01792 277555

Previously with HSBC and L&G, Lee joined the Brilliant family in 2016. Lee said “Always learning, this role gives me the opportunity to develop”.

Swansea City FC is a passion for Lee. He is a family man who wants his children to have a role model who is striving to be the best he can be!

Sally Miles

Director of Lending
M: 07983 437629

A mortgage expert focusing on lender relationships and service levels. Sally has worked in mortgages with lenders & intermediaries and in the prime, specialist and commercial areas.

Sally’s spare time is spent at home with family or at the Norfolk coast. She supports her local primary school and is a true chocoholic.

The Sales Team - 01792 277 555

Ivan Vizor

Head of Key Accounts
M: 07725 488839

Ivan is an experienced mortgage professional.  He has spent many years with the business and it’s not only brokers that love working with him, the team here at Brilliant HQ love having him around.  

Ivan has a Brilliant sense of humour and a fantastic understanding of the specialist sector. Don’t mention Man City… 

Chris Howse

Sales Manager
M: 07540 505520

Chris joined Brilliant in 2017 after amassing 14 years experience in Sales. Chris says “I found my calling in mortgages and Brilliant is by far the best home”.

Chris is a keen sports enthusiast, particularly football (Cheltenham Town & Blackburn Rovers). Antigua will always be his go to place, holding many special memories!

Donna McIntosh

Relationship Manager
DDI: 01480 702108

Donna has been in the financial industry since 2002 doing various roles, such as BTL Broker, Office Manager, Life Insurance to the Armed Forces, Office Administrator & A Divisional Coordinator. 

Donna said “Now that I am a Relation Manager I can apply what I have always enjoyed, and that is, building up good relationship with Brokers”. 

In Donna’s spare time she enjoys spending time with her 6 Grandchildren.  She also loves great Action Movies, with a Nice Cognac and a bag of wotsits.

Andrew Lumsdaine

Sales Support
DDI: 01480 759747

Andrew has over 15 years of experience in the sales and customer service industry. Andrew enjoys helping people and making sure that the customer’s experience is the best that it can be.

In his spare time, Andrew likes to spend time with his family, he plays pool to a county level and is a massive Liverpool FC fan, but don’t hold that against him!

The Marketing Team - 01792 277 555

Grazia Caracciolo-Pool

Marketing Manager

Grazia has been Brilliant for years, supporting the Sales & the Board. 

Full of energy & ideas, any marketing has been the perfect place for her creativity to run riot!  Photography is an obsession for Grazia who is also a lover of Ferrari, hats, gadgets & everything Italian!

Beth Ody

Marketing Assistant

Beth has recently joined Brilliant Solutions where she is able to blend her degree in media with her 10 years of experience in hospitality together.

She can often be found reading a book, watching F1 or rugby. Beth has a fondness for travel which she sparked during her studies.

The Operations Team - 01792 277 555

Nicky De-Freitas-Viera

Head of Mortgage Packaging
M: 07930 931918

Nicky has previously been in banking for 10 years with Lloyds then TSB.  Nicky has always been motivated by great client outcomes and finds working with brokers on secured loans really rewarding.

Nicky enjoys spending time with his partner and children and loves good food, especially accompanied by a few drinks.

Rebecca King

Head of Secured Loans

Beccy has been a second charge advisor for the last 7 and a half years, gaining her CeMAP qualification in April 2016. Beccy likes building relationships with clients and brokers and likes to see things through.

In her spare time, Beccy enjoys spending time with her family and 3 cats and going to the theatre.

Helen Calford

Bridging, Commercial & BTL Manager

After returning from living in Abu Dhabi for 7 years in 2018, Helen got a job as a mortgage case administrator and learnt about all things mortgages to become CeMAP qualified. Helen enjoys helping clients from the initial enquiry through to completion.  Helen says “It’s the best feeling when a difficult case has successfully completed”.

When Helen is not working, she is a mum of two amazing adult humans (who she still needs to clean up after). Helen also enjoys hiking on weekends with her husband, is a holiday addict and is a Gin enthusiast.

Seaneen Jones

Packaging Specialist

Seaneen has worked in the financial industry since 2016 and particularly enjoys the specialist mortgages sector.  Seaneen said it is because it allows her to build relationships with both lenders and brokers and really make a difference.

In her spare time, Seaneen enjoys spending time with her family and her pug, Daisy.  

BMA AWARDS 2021 – ADMINISTRATOR WINNER

Robyn Matthews

Packaging Specialist

Robyn has recently graduated from university with a postgraduate certificate in property and facilities management. She has recently joined the mortgage industry to make an impact in people’s lives and what better way to make an impact than to help secure someone a place to call home.

One of Robyn’s proudest achievements was climbing Mt Kilimanjaro in Africa to raise money for charity. Robyn loves playing basketball. She is a technology enthusiast and loves shiny new technology and video games.

Kieran Barnden

Bridging & Commercial Team Leader

Kieran joined Brilliant Solutions in 2018 and has enjoyed his time in Bridging & Commercial ever since.

He is a big football fan and follows his beloved Swansea City. Kieran enjoys cooking to relax whilst listening to some classic Britpop. He loves nothing more than his 2 kids which are his biggest achievement.

Kieran is always there to help and feels there is no job too small and certainly no job too big!

Drew Sage

Bridging & Commercial Specialist

After 20 years in construction Drew joined Brilliant in early 2019.  Drew has always been interested in financial services.  Drew quotes “This role gives me the chance to put my knowledge to a different use in our bridging, development and commercial team”.

Drew enjoys spending time with those around him, Formula 1, golf and reptiles too. 

Mark Alcantara

Bridging, Commercial & BTL Specialist

With over 2 years in the mortgage industry and prior management experience in fitness, Mark Alcantara bridges financial expertise with a passion for health. He excels in finding mortgage solutions and connecting people with their property dreams. 
 
Beyond work, Mark keeps a healthy lifestyle, hitting the gym, playing basketball, and embracing a newfound love for golf. He believes in the synergy of financial and physical well-being, embodying his commitment to balance and success.

Disa Burgess

Bridging, Commercial & BTL Specialist

Disa has been working in the mortgage industry since 2013. She has dealt with all forms of mortgages and has a passion for helping people even when the high street say no. She takes pride in her work from having years of underwriting experience allowing her to excel in her career to ensure that she does everything possible for her clients and achieve their goals.
 
Brought up in South Africa she moved to the UK at the prime age of 18. She enjoys sightseeing and has a passion for animals and she spends her spare time volunteering at shelters and a variety of different charities.
 

Megan Davies

Bridging, Commercial & BTL Specialist

Brought up in Swansea with a degree in Sculpture and a nearly decade-long career in the hospitality industry. Megan enjoys developing relationships, helping people meet their goals, and strives to achieve the best possible outcome for any client.


Megan is a contemporary Welsh artist, working on paintings in her spare time. The Welsh coast and its landscapes inspire her day-to-day life.

Rhiannon Corrella

Trainee Bridging & Commercial Specialist

Rhiannon thoroughly enjoys supporting the Bridging and Commercial department.  

Rhiannon has lived in Swansea all her life and has two degrees from Swansea University.  

When Rhiannon is not at work, she loves nothing more than spending time with her 5-year-old daughter and two dogs. 

Katie Hills

Secured Loans Specialist

Katie has been in the 2nd charge industry since 2014 and has always enjoyed helping clients achieve their goals. A happy client outcome is the best feeling. She strongly feels that 2nd charge mortgages are amazing products and really can be the better option for a client, depending on their situation of course.

Katie is from Lincolnshire, having also lived in other places such as Hertfordshire, Dorset, Marbella and was even born in America.

Katie is kept occupied in her spare time with her 3 year old and partner and is partial to a glass (or more) of white.

Lyndsey Steele

Secured Loans Specialist

Lyndsey has worked in financial services since 2001, specialising in mortgages.  Lyndsey has a can-do attitude and will always strive to achieve the very best for brokers and clients alike.
 
Lyndsey enjoys spending time with her husband and 2 children and loves sports and the outdoors!

Jodie Grief

Secured Loans Specialist

Jodie has been in the Financial Industry since the age of 17 and worked with Brilliant Solutions for the majority of those years.

Jodie is a mum to two girls and loves having trips out, and going stockcar racing in her spare time. Also a dab hand at anything crafting.

 

Finance & HR - 01792 277 555

Teg Purssell

Finance Manager

Her main responsibility is processing proc fees, this includes approving express payments. Teg is constantly improving her skills and knowledge.

As an amateur foodie she is always happy hearing new tips and tricks.

Natasha Courtney

Finance Executive

Since completing her studies for an MSc in Management (Finance) from Swansea University , Natasha has joined the team keen to improve her skills & knowledge within the industry. 
 
Natasha enjoys spending time with her family, friends and (many… many) pets. In her spare time, you’ll often catch Natasha either at the cinema watching the latest film release, or at a concert for her love of music!

We're recruiting! TBA

Finance Executive

We are recruiting for an opportunity to work in our dynamic team here at Brilliant.  Get in touch and find out how we can help you make the most of your skills and drive your career forward. 

Sam Telford

Broker Support Administrator

Supporting brokers with the most difficult of cases.  Sam has an in-built passion to learn new skills and information and is always looking to improve his knowledge of the market.

Sam challenges himself in his spare time too.  Currently a house renovation, and reading non-fiction books about Science & Mathematics.

We're recruiting!
TBA

Finance Executive

We are recruiting for an opportunity to work in our dynamic team here at Brilliant.  Get in touch and find out how we can help you make the most of your skills and drive your career forward. 

Gareth Holding

Broker Support Administrator

Gareth worked at HSBC for 21 years, working mainly with Commercial Clients.

In Gareth’s spare time, he spends time with his growing children, but if permitted, enjoys a few days away carp fishing with a good supply of barbecue food and liquid refreshment.

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