IMLA’s new chair gives upbeat speech

April 8, 2026 by Brendan O'Neill

Mortgage Advisors

The new chair of the Intermediary Mortgage Lenders Association has started his tenure with an upbeat speech, expressing confidence in the resilience of the mortgage sector.

Jonathan Stinton was giving his debut keynote speech at the annual lunch hosted by IMLA in London. He used it to point out how adaptable and strong the mortgage market in this country is, citing the bounce back in lending levels after the mini-Budget crisis as proof of this.

Stinton then went on to remind the audience that gross mortgage lending had risen by 19% last year in comparison with 2024, with both remortgaging and purchase lending going up. The former rose by 20% and the latter by 18%.

According to Financial Reporter, Stinton said:

“These are not just figures; they represent families moving, landlords adjusting, buyers returning with confidence and advisors supporting them through uncertainty.”

However, despite the general positivity of his speech, Stinton did acknowledge that the current market situation is a difficult one. He urged mortgage lenders and advisors to collaborate and exploit the opportunities presented by technology and regulation reforms to help more people to buy.

When it comes to the role to be played by technology such as AI, Stinton called for enthusiasm tempered by a sensible approach to issues such as data security. He argued this what was needed was firm governance without stifling the innovation and competition required to deliver for potential homebuyers.

There is not much in this speech that advisors who have done the CeMAP course would disagree with, but lenders also need to embrace greater collaboration.