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CV: Adrian Whittaker has 20 years' experience in financial services, most recently supporting intermediaries at BM Solutions as national key account manager. Prior to that Mr Whittaker was senior corporate account manager for Chelsea Building Society with responsibility for managing major life and IFA networks. He has previously worked as an area sales manager, business development manager and branch manager for Bradford & Bingley.

MA: You were hired to help strengthen the relationship between Abbey for Intermediaries and its intermediary clients. How do you believe you have achieved that so far?

Adrian Whittaker: We had a successful key account conference two months after I joined in which we set out our vision of how we were going look after intermediaries, the way in which our relationships with intermediaries would develop and also in terms of the commercial aspect of our dealings with them. We have had a lot of feedback on the questionnaires that were completed at the time and we feel it was a huge success. In terms of getting myself known among intermediaries and getting the Abbey proposition known among intermediaries I think we have communicated it well. In addition to that we have strengthened the key account team.

MA: What has the response been from intermediaries to Abbey's return to offering exclusives?

AW: That has been well received. The reason why we withdrew them was because of the volumes of business we were taking and because we wanted to make sure we maintained and delivered service excellence. With the kind of volumes that were coming through potentially that could have had an impact with regards to our service. It was quite interesting to see how we did without our exclusives for a month or so.

MA: Are more exclusive offerings on their way?

AW: We have been working closely with a number of our key accounts and seeing the ways in which they support the overall proposition. As a result of that we have been expanding our range of exclusives and I think it is fair to say we will see more. One of the key tasks I was given when I joined Abbey for Intermediaries was to discuss the strategy with regards to key accounts. As a result of that we have introduced an element of differential management in respect to key accounts and it has allowed us to concentrate and focus on those partners that are integral to our business.

MA: How has your varied background has helped you do your job more effectively?

AW: I was with Bradford & Bingley for 15 years and as part of that role I was actually an adviser myself so I have seen it from that side of the fence. I have seen a lot of the corporate world as well. When Bradford & Bingley began to offer independent financial advice it was interesting to see how that evolved. Chelsea, as a mutual building society, gave me good grounding in terms of key account management and basic disciplines and also in terms of the way they deal with intermediary relationships, an area in which they are particularly strong. BM Solutions was a great company to work for. It was cutting edge and technology-based. It had a great service proposition and I think that all adds to the mix in terms of when you are looking at defining a strategy for key accounts. It does give me a lot of experience and understanding when I have seen successes or otherwise and now I can take that to Abbey and replicate that to a degree. I was able to hit the ground running when I came here.

MA: What can intermediaries expect further from Abbey?

AW: Our mantra is to be the best lender and provider for intermediaries in the UK. We are working hard in terms of the service proposition. I think it is fair to say we will also be looking at using products exclusively distributed in support of intermediaries and individual brokers as well.

MA: Abbey has had service problems in the past. It it well past those days now?

AW: Certainly from the BDRC research that we have seen, the adviser experience seems to be improving. It is significantly better from where it was a few years ago. There is still more work to be done and we are obviously engaging with brokers and intermediaries with regards to the best way we can service them. We have got targets in regards to what we need to offer in terms of demonstrating and ensuring we offer service excellence. We are a long way towards achieving those and there is a lot of hard work that will be required for the rest of the year to get us to the place where we need to be.

MA: Abbey announced an almost 26 per cent increase in its market share in the first half of 2008. Is it your goal to continue this growth?

AW: With Santander's backing and the strong capital and liquidity position we enjoy currently it is fair to say that we would be looking to maintain market share and also the good brand we have in terms of our overall market position. We are certainly looking to maintain our market share and we have seen good growth since the start of this year. The concern of course is if you look at the latest Bank of England figures house purhase approvals continue to be down. This points to potentially lower gross net lending in the months ahead and we need to be mindful of what is going to happen in the second half of this year.

MA: With the downturn in mortgage business will you be looking to focus more heavily on the quality of business intermediaries are giving you, rather than quantity?

AW: Through Santander we have a strong focus on risk management and that has been part and parcel due to our own underwriting, criteria and policy throughout this year. We would like to think our house is relatively in order in that respect and we have already taken those measures. Therefore there would not be a need necessarily for us to advertise for quality business because we like to think we are ensuring we are already getting that.

MA: What do you believe are intermediaries' perceptions of Abbey?

AW: We would like to think advisers view us as the best lender and provider for intermediaries in the UK. I would like to think they recognise we have been supportive in terms of the products we have had out there and that they have been able to offer their clients. Generally there is a growing awareness of the Santander and Abbey brand and its reputation in the market, which has significantly improved over the last two or three years.

MA: Has Santander had a big role to play in rebuilding Abbey's reputation?

AW: As I said it has a strong capital position and we have a strong capital position and a capability and willingness to lend. What Santander does bring to the party is diversity of revenue, both in terms of the market they operate in and also geographically. Because of their strong focus on risk management there has not been any exposure to the sub-prime market. Those are the benefits it has brought without a shadow of a doubt and will continue to bring.

MA: What are you doing in terms of product innovation?

AW: There are a number of research groups and focus groups, which we are currently underway with in terms of seeing what the next big thing is. It is fair to say we need to look at our buy-to-let position and I would like to think there will be some movement around that in the coming months and years ahead. It is really about listening to what the advisers are interested in themselves and where the market is heading. The market at the moment shows us it is pretty important to stick to what you are good at and this is what we are good at and those are the areas we will probably want to continue to focus on.

MA: What are you planning in terms of technology?

AW: There is a lot of work going on right now trying to understand how we are going to transact in the future. There is quite a significant saving to be had from technology and we are in the process of discussing with all of our key business partners how they see that evolving for 2009 and beyond. In terms of our drive for service excellence I would say technology has to form a part of that. At this stage is is really about understanding if our business partners see it the same way.

MA: What is the most important thing you have learnt since working in this industry?

AW: The most important thing I have probably learnt, and this is particularly in regards to intermediaries, is to understand any kind of problems or issues from other people's perspectives. It is to listen to what people have got to say and take a bit of a reflective position in regards to what does that actually mean. There are some very basis concepts, understanding other people's positions and also if you say you are going to do something, then do it. The worst thing of all is not to deliver and in all the roles I have done that has been pretty key to me. Treat people as you want to be treated yourself.