Editor's note: This brief was summarised by The Property AI Newsroom from a report by Mortgage Solutions. Read the original article for full details.
South Asian Mortgage Professionals Network Launches to Address Representation Gap
A new industry network, the South Asian Mortgage Professionals and Allies Network (SAMPAN), has been established to highlight South Asian talent within the UK mortgage and protection sector. The network also aims to help more people from South Asian communities access careers, advice, and homeownership opportunities.
SAMPAN was founded in 2025 by Gurpreet Chahal, regional sales manager at Accord, Dina Budhia, CEO of broker P2M Group, and Paul Purewal, head of intermediary relations at Dudley Building Society. The founders created the network to address what they describe as a representation gap and a missed opportunity for the mortgage industry.
According to the founders, South Asians make up around 7.5% of the UK population, but representation in senior levels of the mortgage industry remains limited. Barriers identified include a bottleneck at middle management and challenges faced by South Asian consumers, such as cultural nuances around intergenerational living, pooled family deposits, and language barriers during the mortgage process.
SAMPAN has three main aims: to promote and celebrate South Asian talent already working in the industry, to encourage more people from South Asian communities to consider careers in mortgages and protection, and to improve education, allyship, and cultural understanding across firms. The founders also noted that cultural expectations can steer young South Asians towards traditional professions, and that outreach into schools and communities is needed to change perceptions about careers in financial services.
The network held its first event in London in October 2025 at Lloyds Banking Group, which was heavily oversubscribed and attracted significant support from industry allies. The event featured senior industry figures sharing their experiences, with the theme of "fitting in" resonating with many attendees.
Letting agents and inventory clerks may find SAMPAN’s work relevant as it seeks to improve cultural understanding and accessibility in the property sector, potentially broadening the talent pool and enhancing service for diverse clients.
Source: Mortgage Solutions