Brilliant Solutions

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.

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

Director of Specialist Mortgages
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.

Sonny Gosai

Bridging and Commercial Director
M: 07930 931733

Sonny has worked in the Specialist Finance industry for close to 25 years.  His experience working for companies from a standing start and making firms into respected and successful companies is his forte.  He loves building and maintaining strong relationships with lenders and intermediaries.  He is loving the challenge of taking our Bridging and Commercial distribution to the next level.
 
Sonny is a family man and dotes on his three sons.  He enjoys a BBQ more than most and a cheeky vodka.  Ask him and he will show you some of his famous BBQ pictures.  Liverpool FC is his passion.  YNWA!!!

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.

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 Vieira

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 Bates

Head of Secured Loans

Beccy has been in the second charge industry since 2014 and joined Brilliant in November 2021. Beccy likes building relationships with clients and brokers and likes to see things through.
In her spare time, Beccy has been renovating her house with her husband, spending time with family, and enjoys taking her dog for walks in her local village, with the occasional pit stop at the local pub.

Seaneen Jones

Mortgage Specialist Team Leader

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

Senior Underwriting Specialist

Robyn graduated from University with a post-graduate certificate in property and facilities management hoping to join the property industry. She has 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 enjoys playing Basketball, video games and spending time with her 2 children. 

BMA AWARDS 2024 – ADMINISTRATOR NOMMINEE

Oliver Hart

Placement Specialist

Oliver has joined Brilliant Solutions after completing his studies in Computer Science at Swansea University. Oliver enjoys being part of a team and strives to support others wherever he can.
 
During Oliver’s free time he is currently learning Welsh. He likes to read and keeping up to date with the latest tech news.

Andrew Lumsdaine

Placement Specialist

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!

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. 

Megan Davies

Bridging & Commercial 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.

Jack Western

Trainee Bridging & Commercial Specialist

Jack has recently joined our team, bringing experience from his background in agricultural law. His legal knowledge is a valuable addition, helping us to provide better service to our clients and brokers. Jack is excited to combine his legal skills with his mortgage knowledge to offer great service.
 
Outside of work, Jack enjoys sports like football, kickboxing, and golf. He is currently focused on improving his golf handicap. Jack also spends time with his young family, often walking along the Welsh coast on weekends with their sausage dog, Lottie.

Katie Hills

Secured Loans Specialist

Katie has been in the 2nd charge industry since 2014 and has always enjoyed helping clients achieve their goals. She strongly feels that 2nd charge mortgages are brilliant products and really can be the better option for a client, depending on their situation of course.
Katie is kept busy in her spare time with her 2 children, partner & dog 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.

 

Sara Matthews

Secured Loans Specialist

Sara has worked in the finance and mortgage industry for over 20 years, working for high street lenders and independent mortgage brokerages learning a skill set from mortgage underwriting to case packaging and everything in between.
 
Sara like enjoys early morning runs and falconry, often taking part in flying birds of prey. 

We're recruiting!

Mortgage Placement Specialist

We’re on the hunt for individuals with a passion for customer service and a knack for problem-solving. If you’ve got experience with “sales through service,” this brand-new role could be perfect for you, with opportunities to help develop lead generation as you grow. We want people who want to grow with one of the industries fasted growing and exciting companies. 
Take the next step in your career—apply now! 

We're recruiting!

Specialist Mortgage Underwriter

We are searching for professionals with mortgage underwriting experience. Do you have experience in mortgage underwriting and want to join a dynamic team? Your duties will include reviewing financial documents, processing Decisions in Principle, and ensuring mortgage applications meet lender requirements. If you’ve got the skills, we’ve got the opportunity! We want people who want to grow with one of the industries fasted growing and exciting companies. If this sounds like you, apply now! 

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!

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. 

Scroll to Top