Aspen has promoted Saif Khalique to the newly created role of director of underwriting, adding him to the lender’s board as it looks to expand lending in 2026.
Khalique (pictured) joined Aspen in December 2019 as part of the underwriting team under the lender’s graduate recruitment scheme and has since moved through a series of senior roles.
He became part of the management team in 2023 and was appointed head of underwriting in February 2024 after completing a Masters in Real Estate & Finance at Henley Business School.
In the new role, he will take responsibility for the day-to-day operation and management of the underwriting team, alongside strategic input, process improvements and wider training.
Aspen said the promotion reflects both an expansion in Khalique’s responsibilities and his contribution to the business to date.
The move comes as the lender targets more than £1 billion of total lending since inception in 2026, while seeking to maintain service levels and underwriting standards.
Jack Coombs, chief operating officer at S&U PLC, Aspen’s parent company, said: “Saif’s promotion is very well deserved, we welcome him to the Aspen Board and look forward to seeing the far-reaching contribution he will surely make in driving and improving the business through our next exciting growth phase.”
