Our People | Meet Lee Casey

Lee Casey, Portfolio Management

An avid football fan, Portfolio Management Manager Lee has worked at Redwood since 2018. Lee’s claim to fame is meeting his music idol Ian Brown once, when he helped to pick up the star’s son when he fell whilst on a train after a football match.
 

What gets you out of bed in the morning?
 

It’s a busy house, with two young children and a puppy cockapoo called Izzy.

　

If you weren’t doing this you’d be…
 

I say this to everyone. I had the good fortune of being on Luton Town Football Club’s books when I was younger. I always thought I would be a footballer. If I had listened to my coaches, I might be doing something very different. I would open up my own football academy to give something back and work with local schools and charities.
 

Redwood is now three years old - what’s the one standout piece of feedback you have received from a customer in that time?
 

A broker once said to me: "Please, please, please continuing doing what you do. Don’t change and don’t fall in line with the others and become just another lender."

　

I think Redwood has a reputation among brokers that we don’t just talk about a deal, but we take action. We work to understand all the complexities, and always find a workable solution that benefits the client, broker and Redwood.

　

We’re honest and we know our customers and brokers appreciate this. We don’t waste people’s time. We want to be clear about our capabilities.
 

What has been your proudest achievement with Redwood to date?
 

I’m proud of the way we act as an organisation. It’s difficult to work out if it’s pride or whether I’m just really happy.

　

When I joined in 2018 I was only employee number 24, but the team has grown significantly since then. However, we’ve never stopped being a caring team and bank.

　

There’s no one I work with that I wouldn’t go for a drink with after work. It’s very much a cultural fit. You have to be a certain person to work here. You can’t come in and be awkward, selfish, driven by being a team of one. Redwood is a team of people who work together. And I’m really proud of how we work together and care for one another.

　

There’s a huge sense of family. I’m proud to work for an organisation like this. I’m also so proud that we get recognised by the awards that the Bank wins, particularly when we’re up against high street names.

　

What’s one thing you know now about banking that you didn’t three years ago?
 

The importance of broker relations. Every other organisation I have worked at, everything was self-generated.

　

The biggest change was going to the market to build relationships. It’s building a high level of customer service in our day to day operations that I haven’t experienced in previous roles in banks. It’s about putting the customer first, and that actually, there is a world outside that of the big banks.
 

Challengers vs high street banks – is there a place for both?
 

Absolutely. When people ask me, are you a Challenger Bank? I ask them what are we challenging? It’s a great question. High street banks still have their specialisms but what they won’t do is work on a deal that’s a bit quirky. In this day and age, a lot of people won’t quite tick the high street banks’ lending box. It takes longer for them to make a decision and their process goes on and on.

　

When dealing with Redwood, the customer is given the opportunity during a timeframe that suits them. Decisions in business need to be made in a timely manner, and that’s how we support people at Redwood.

　

When I speak to people, they’re shocked that we can provide such a fast, decisive and stress-free process.
 

What do you do at the weekend?
 

I’m heavily involved in football. I coach an under 6’s and under 14’s team at Barton Rovers. Both my sons play for the club.
 

What three people, dead or alive, would you invite to your ultimate dinner party?
 

Chris Evans – conversation

Ulrika　Jonsson – she’s got some great stories

Ian Brown – I grew up in his era (Stone Roses) and I’d also tell him it was me that picked up his child when he fell over on a train as I was on my way back from a Man United game. He nodded when I’d picked up his child and said ‘nice one pal’ in that recognisable accent of his.