International Women’s Day: Jade Keval on Mentorship, Training and Women in Specialist Finance

About Jade Keval

Jade Keval, Sales Director here at Somo recently spoke to Bridging and Commercial to share her perspective on mentorship, training and the importance of widening access to specialist finance careers to mark International Women’s Day.

Working closely with brokers and direct clients, Jade, and he sales team, focuses on building strong commercial relationships while supporting the development of future talent within the specialist finance sector. One of the key initiatives she oversees is Somo’s internal Sales Training Academy, designed to provide structured training and career progression within bridging finance.

What training and mentorship initiatives has Somo invested in?

This year’s International Women’s Day theme, “Give to Gain”, highlights something that is particularly relevant in specialist finance: progress rarely happens by accident. It happens when time, structure and belief are invested deliberately.

At Somo, one of the most meaningful ways we’ve done this is through our 12-month Sales Training Academy, which we established in 2021. The programme provides a structured development pathway for individuals entering the specialist finance sector.

Its impact is best understood through the people who have gone through the programme and the careers they have built afterwards.

Phoebe Shaw joined Somo from a call centre background. She describes that environment as a steep learning curve and a real test of resilience, but without clear structure.

As she puts it:“There was definitely effort, but it was difficult to know if, or how much, you were actually developing.”

The Academy introduced something different. Instead of reactive selling, participants follow a structured learning programme that focuses on measurable progression and practical understanding of the lending process.

Graduates develop knowledge across key areas of specialist lending, including:

• the difference between regulated and unregulated lending

• why exit strategy is critical in bridging finance

• how to structure deals that work for brokers, borrowers and funders

• understanding underwriting logic and valuation risk

Crucially, individuals are encouraged to stretch themselves and learn from mistakes in a supported environment.

The outcomes have been clear. Graduates move into Business Development Manager roles with a genuine understanding of how bridging loans work, rather than focusing purely on sales targets.

Early performance has been strong because individuals arrive in these roles already prepared and confident in the fundamentals of specialist finance.

How is Somo supporting female leadership in specialist finance?

Improving diversity within specialist finance requires more than recruitment alone - it requires progression.

At Somo, we are deliberate about building strong female leadership across the business, not just at entry level but within decision-making roles.

This means actively identifying high-potential individuals and supporting their development as they move through the organisation.

One way we do this is through an open-door mentorship culture, where senior leaders make themselves available to colleagues across the business. That may involve:

• reviewing live deals together

• discussing career development

• offering direct feedback and guidance

Visibility is also critical. When women are represented in front-of-market roles, whether as Business Development Managers, underwriters or directors, it changes perceptions both internally and across the wider market.

For me, the International Women’s Day theme “Give to Gain” means giving people opportunities before they even ask for them.

What barriers still exist for women entering specialist finance?

Perception remains one of the biggest barriers.

The bridging finance sector is often viewed as male-dominated, which can discourage talented individuals from considering it as a career path.

However, the reality is that specialist finance offers a wide range of opportunities across underwriting, relationship management, risk analysis and leadership.

The wider industry can help address these barriers by focusing on three areas:

• formal development pathways that make entry routes clearer

• visible mentorship programmes that support career progression

• placing women in commercial decision-making roles

Leadership needs to feel attainable. When people can see others progressing into senior roles, it changes how they view their own potential career path.

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Key Insights

• Structured training programmes help develop long-term expertise in specialist finance

• Mentorship and accessible leadership support career progression

• Visibility of women in commercial roles helps shift industry perception

• Development pathways are essential for widening access to the sector

Why Training and Mentorship Matter in Specialist Finance

The bridging finance sector is built on technical knowledge, relationship building and risk understanding.

Structured training programmes, such as Somo’s Sales Training Academy, help ensure that new professionals entering the industry develop a deeper understanding of:

• property-backed lending structures

• deal underwriting and risk management

• how bridging loans support developers and investors

Investing in development ultimately benefits the entire market by strengthening expertise and creating more sustainable career pathways.

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Somo Bridging Finance is a UK specialist lender providing short-term bridging loans secured against property. You can learn more about Somo and our history here.