The Lending Channel Team

Alistair's career started with the Clydesdale Bank in 1982 and he has been running his own brokerage since 1997. Recent personal achievements include completing the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Growth Programme in 2018, winning Business Leader of the Year at the Scottish Mortgage Awards in 2020 and subsequently a Lifetime Achievement Award at the same event in 2021. 

Murray has been involved in the financial services sector since 1999. Starting as a loans underwriter, he progressed to case manager, then office manager before becoming co-founder and Operations Director of The Lending Channel in 2010.

Prior to the finance world, Murray spent nine years with Royal Mail in their Glasgow sales centre.

Elaine qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1997 and has spent many years working on all aspects of accounting and taxation for owner managed businesses.  She brings with her the understanding of business needs and a valuable different angle to finance, which can be particularly beneficial for our Commercial Finance deals.  In addition to her role as Finance Director in The Lending Channel, she continues to run her own Chartered Accountancy practice.

Marc joined RBS having returned to Scotland after spending a year travelling around Australia.  6 weeks into his first role within the branch he was asked to join the business relationship team covering the Fife area.  He was promoted to Business Relationship Manager soon after this and covered a portfolio of local businesses based out of Dunfermline working for the bank for 7 years.

Marc was then approached by Bank of Scotland to head a large portfolio based out of Kirkcaldy where he went on to manage several portfolios across, oil and gas, real estate, hospitality and leisure, healthcare and manufacturing during a 17 year career with the bank.

Marc’s skill set has been built up over 25 years in finance where he has undertaken both small and large transactions and also has a particular skill set in complex cases.  Marc has a large network of clients, professionals and local businesses who he has assisted with funding requirements over the years. 

Away from work, Marc enjoys getting away with his wife in their campervan, travelling all over Scotland and enjoying the great outdoors whenever they can.  He is an avid cook and enjoys watching any kind of sport on the TV. 

Dean joined the banking industry in 2005 at 17 years old, and after a few years in the branch network, he undertook his Chartered Banker exams and progressed in to the commercial banking division where he held client facing, leadership, operations and coaching roles.

Dean moved on to head up the Scotland office for a national finance brokerage for 4 years, before joining us as our Commercial Director in October 2024.

Dean’s specialist skillset is in complex and commercial lending and - coming from a family consisting of many small business owners - is very passionate about supporting Scottish SME’s to flourish. Dean has helped hundreds of local businesses to access funding across multiple sectors, ranging from £1,000 to £10,000,000, building a solid reputation with business owners and professionals across Scotland as a reliable, trustworthy and knowledgeable finance professional.

Away from work, Dean enjoys beach holidays and city breaks with his wife and two children, is a keen (but rusty!) golfer and likes watching football. Dean’s favourite day of the week is Sunday when he is surrounded by his 3 miniature Daschunds and cooking a roast dinner for the family. 

Grant joined RBS in the early 90s and has spent the last 30 years developing his career with both broker and lender. Educated at Edinburgh's Stewart's Melville College, Grant has developed an invaluable network of connections not only in the Edinburgh area, but much farther afield too. A former rugby player and current keen golfer, he can be reglarly be found on the course (and in the club house!) at the Royal Burgess in Edinburgh.

Don't be fooled by his youthful good looks! Gary has been working in Financial Services since 2003 - and more specifically he has been helping Mortgage Brokers develop their own businesses since 2005. Outside of work, Gary seems to spend all of his spare time as Head Football Coach at Busby Girls AFC Football Club.

Sara joined us in 2012, fresh from a stint travelling in Cyprus.  Having started with us on the Secured Loans team she quickly qualified as a Mortgage Advisor and over the years has worked on all aspects of lending with us.  Sara now heads up our Bridging and Buy to Let lending team. Sara had left school with the intention of taking up a place at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, but loved travelling, and then the world of finance, too much to take up her place. 

Having left school, Alison utilised her passion for horses and worked within the equestrian industry for six years. Alison spent the next four years at university and achieved her degree in Applied Bioscience and Zoology in 2013. Having left university, she started working within the finance industry and realised this was a career she wanted to pursue. She has now been with The Lending Channel since October 2017, qualifying as CeRER (Certificate of regulated equity release) in March 2020.  Alison has vast experience dealing with Residential Mortgages, Self Build Mortgages, Second Charge Loans and is our Equity Release expert.   As you can see Alison is camera shy and prefers to show you her beautiful horse, Zee.

Sharon joined us from a career in banking and qualified as a CeMAP advisor with us in 2015.  Having left to gain experience in the world of motor finance, she then took time off work to refurbish a couple of properties and have her son before returning to the TLC family part-time in 2021.   Sharons attention to detail makes her a perfect Compliance Manager, ensuring that our high standards of advice are maintained. 

After graduating from university, Zoe worked as a dental nurse for a year and a half before deciding she wanted to pursue a career in Financial Services. She joined us in 2019 and qualified as a CeMAP mortgage advisor in 2021.  and works in our Residential Mortgage and Secured Loan team. She became a Mummy in 2022 and we were delighted to welcome her back to the team after maternity leave.

Having studied Interior Design at university  Danielle changed track for a career in banking.   During her years working with TSB she gained an interest in mortgages and took the opportunity to join the Lending Channel as a trainee advisor in 2020.   With such great finance experience behind her she quickly passed all of her CeMAP exams with distinctions at the end of 2020.  Danielle's banking history made her an ideal candidate for our Commercial, Bridging and Buy to Let team where she now works part time following the birth of her daughter.

Debbie joined the team in September 2017 having spend 12 years working in the insurance industry.  Her bright personality makes her the ideal person to promote TLC via telephone, and over the years she has developed great relationships with our introducing brokers.  She now works part time, Tuesday to Thursday, leaving her time to bake cakes, walk her dog and look after her family.

Lisa joined the team in April 2022 as a case administrator to our Commercial, Bridging and Buy to Let team.  She previously gained 7 years experience in a commercial office setting, and spent 4 years at university gaining a degree in Spanish.  She is an important liaison between our busy advisors and our clients and always a friendly voice on the phone.  

When Lisa is out of the office, she enjoys playing the piano and spending time with her family and friends.  

Anthony has joined us from the world of professional football, where he secured a first team debut for Hearts when he was only 16 years old! A subsequent and recurring injury has pushed him into part time football where he currently plays with Brechin City. He joined our team in July 2023 and has since passed his CeMAP and become fully signed off as a competent adviser.