10 Questions with Yousouf Roze of First4Bridging
James McDonald speaks to culture vulture Yousouf Roze, Director at First4Bridging...
1.How long have you been at First4Bridging?
Just over five years.
2.What did you want to be when you were a kid?
I dreamt of being in the Rolling Stones, I was a bit of a dreamer.
B&C: Which member did you want to be?
None of them, I just wanted to be in them. I liked the idea of being a photographer too, like David Bailey, Terrance Donovan and Norman Parkinson.
3.If you could do anything you wanted this Sunday, what would it be?
Deciding what to do with all the money I’d won on the lottery from the night before. I’m still a dreamer, clearly.
4.Which football team do you support and why?
It’s never been an interest of mine.
B&C: If you had to pick a team which would it be?
Probably the Pittsburgh Steelers.
B&C: I meant proper football. Sorry, what’s your favourite ‘soccer’ team?
My fiancee’s American. And I haven’t got one.
5.What is the best thing about your job?
Without question the best thing about my job is being able to provide a great service to our brokers and the satisfaction that is generated for both parties. The positive feedback that we get from our introducers supported by the repeat business we get always gives me a buzz and reassures me that what we’re doing and our ethos is right. I’m always looking to improve on that service and having the ability to implement strategies that help us improve even further is a great opportunity to be innovative. We have a team of people who all share the same philosophy of providing the best possible service standard with the utmost integrity and it’s great to have such support.
B&C: And the worst?
The worst thing is of course the long hours, and I would love to be able to have more free time, but the level of success we’re enjoying puts many demands on my time.
6.What would you be doing if you weren’t working at First4Bridging?
A classical guitarist. I trained from the age of 7 years old.
B&C: Do you still play?
Not anymore, just until my early 20s. Then my career took over. But yeah, I’d definitely be doing some sort of classical music training.
7.What’s your favourite movie and why?
Not one film can portray such a wide array of emotions, so I’ll have to pick a few: Metropolis, 12 Angry Men, anything by Hitchcock, The Deer Hunter, In The Heat of The Night, Blow Up and To Kill A Mockingbird.
8.What do you expect to happen in the bridging finance industry over the next 12 months?
The bridging industry is clearly a fast-paced and ever evolving environment. And with the regulatory changes on the horizon and greater competition there will be a requirement for lenders and brokers alike to provide the highest levels of service and transparency. We have the experience and infrastructure to give an unrivalled level of service to both our introducers and lenders alike and I’m sure that more and more lenders will see the benefit of working with and using the services of Packagers and Master Brokers like us as a major portal for their business. This can only make it easier for lenders to process business while we manage the customer/introducer side of things.
9.What you put in room 101 if you had the chance?
Bad service, bad manners and bad wine. I think the least you can expect with a recession going on is decent service, you’d think they’d be mindful of that.
10. What’s your favourite book?
The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand and Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey. I was an English Literature student, can you tell?
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