One to One – Alan Davison, chief commercial officer, Foundation – Mortgage Strategy

Tell us a little about your career so far

I started in financial services in 2000 with the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), having worked in retail.

Like many people, I didn’t have a clear plan to enter the industry, but I quickly discovered that I enjoyed the commercial side of the role and working with clients.

I spent 17 years at RBS in a number of roles, from frontline sales to leadership. I became a branch manager in 2006 and really enjoyed developing people, building teams and helping others achieve their best.

The turning point came when a mentor encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and expand my knowledge. That led me to take a risk, which turned out to be one of the most important steps in my career.

Professional lending is about supporting a wide range of borrower needs, often where the general public can’t

In 2017, I moved into specialty lending with Together, where I initially set up a front-line risk function before returning to commercial leadership. That combination made me a well-rounded leader.

Then I took my first C-suite role at Afin Bank. That experience was ‘huge’ and varied, but I longed to return to a large group environment.

Joining the Foundation earlier this year provided that, along with strong growth plans and clear direction.

What is the main basis of your role?

My role is to drive the commercial performance of the business. That starts with maintaining the strength of our core buy-to-let offering, where we already have a strong market position.

Along with that, it’s about growth. That includes exploring new areas, improving our accommodation proposition and building deeper relationships with our intermediary partners so we can support more clients.

We are seeing more competition from larger lenders in areas that were once considered highly specialized, which means we need to continue to improve.

Why did you enter this field? What other career path might you choose?

I was working at a sports store but I wanted something with better hours and more structure. At the same time, I was applying to join the police.

I ended up at RBS during the police recruitment process, then I got confirmation that I was accepted into the police but I was promoted to the bank on the same day. After weighing it carefully, I chose a bank. It was not an easy decision, but one that I have never regretted.

What’s the best business advice you’ve ever received?

It was from my bank advisor who told me that I needed to expand my knowledge and not be a one-trick pony.

The turning point came when a mentor encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and expand my knowledge

I was doing well in business leadership, so it wasn’t easy to hear. But it pushed me to take a risk, which changed the way I saw business. It helped me understand the full process and made me a more rounded leader.

What are the biggest challenges the industry has faced during your time in the industry?

The financial crisis, Covid and recent market volatility have all tested the industry. However, what stands out is how resilient professional lending has been through all these ups and downs. It continues to support borrowers who are underserved elsewhere.

I was looking forward to getting back to a bigger team environment. Joining the Foundation earlier this year provided that

We are also seeing more competition from larger lenders in areas that were once considered highly specialized, which means we need to continue to improve.

If you could change just one thing in the market, what would it be?

Consumers’ general perception of special lending.

There are still old ideas about what it means. In fact, it’s about supporting a wide range of borrower needs, often where the average person can’t. The price reflects that, but it’s not, it’s a different part of the market. And perhaps this starts with finding a new, more appropriate name for this particular field.

What is the USP of the Foundation?

Our core strength remains strong in buy-to-let. What sets us apart is the breadth of our product range. We can support everything from very straightforward situations to complex situations such as HMOs, multi-unit properties and limited company structures.

I quickly found that I enjoyed the sales side of the role and working with clients

That range means that sellers have options for a broad set of property owner needs. It also shows how the market has changed, with landlords working in all types of different properties and ownership structures.

This article appeared in the April 2026 issue of Mortgage Strategy.

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