Confident leadership backed by experience and expertise

rob.jupp@thebrightstargroup.co.uk

Rob sits at the helm as CEO of the Brightstar Group – the UK’s largest specialist distributor of UK-based, secured property debt, producing more than £1 billion of specialist property debt per annum. Brightstar has won more than 100 national awards since 2012 including the coveted, Investor in People (IIP) Best Gold Employer (below 249 staff) in the Globe and was named The Sunday Times Best Small Company to Work For in both 2019 and 2020.

Rob is in his third decade working within the specialist lending market. He has served as Chairman of the AOBP (2013 to 2015) and was member of the AMI Industry Contact Group. Rob is a regular panellist and keynote speaker as well as being a much-respected media commentator. As a key voice within the sector, he provides support to the FCA through ongoing discussions on current and future market issues.
Rob is a five times British Mortgage Award winner and was voted Mortgage Personality of the Year at the Mortgage Strategy Awards in 2012 and won it again for an unprecedented second time in 2019.
The pride that Rob has for the group and the wider industry is clear to all that meet him. He works tirelessly to ensure we work with the best partners and recruit and retain the very best stakeholders. His passion for raising the standard of employment, education, regulation, and service is infectious. His belief that ‘you don’t get what you deserve you get what you negotiate’ has been facilitated by his larger than life personality and ability to build genuine and rewarding relationships across the industry.

clare.jupp@thebrightstargroup.co.uk

As Director of People Development for the Brightstar Group, Clare has been guiding, supporting and developing the group team since inception. Clare’s belief that ensuring the highest levels of staff engagement result in increased job satisfaction, motivation and ultimately business success has guided the group to being crowned ‘The Sunday Times Best Small Company to Work For’ in both 2019 and 2020. Clare’s accolades do not stop there as she has personally won Financial Reporter Women’s Recognition Awards 2018 – ‘Woman in Management’ and ‘Equality Employer of the Year’ and the Financial Reporter Women’s Recognition Awards – ‘Spokesperson of the Year’ in both 2019 and 2020. As Clare’s award wins suggest, she is an avid industry spokesperson, regularly participating in round-tables, podcasts, judging panels and key speaker engagements.

Clare also plays an active role in the Women in Finance Charter, and is passionate about supporting women into the industry. Having been an early adopter and signatory of the charter, she continues to proactively fly the flag for the cause as a supporter and confidant, speaker, columnist, campaigner and event organiser.

Clare boasts a BA (Hons) in English (Vice Chancellor’s Prize Winner – Top all round graduate at Birmingham University in 1992), a PGCE (Post Graduate Certificate Education), MA Management and Leadership and NPQH (National Professional Qualification for Headship). Her unique ability to bring out the best of everyone she works with was founded with a 16-year career in education including a role as a secondary school Headteacher. It was during this time Clare believes she learnt the invaluable skills of communications, public speaking, coaching and mentoring – whether that be for the Young Learners and Young Brightstars programmes or Senior Managers needing help further engaging with and inspiring their teams.

william.lloyd-hayward@thebrightstargroup.co.uk

Will is responsible for the operational management of the entire Brightstar Group.  He is a highly valued member of the team, taking lead on all matters financial, Human Resources, technology and operational. He works relentlessly to champion a proactive environment ensuring that the group operations remain resilient in an ever-changing market and drive efficiencies in our working practices. Since joining the group in 2012, he has racked up a number of accolades including Winner of Rising Star Distributor at The British Specialist Lending Awards 2018, Top 35 under 35 for Bridging & Commercial Magazine 2020 and a place on the judging panel for the British Specialist Lending Awards 2020.

Will’s background is steeped in politics, with more than 13 years spanning leadership and campaign roles with Brentwood Borough Council and the Conservative Party. He utilises this mindset and skill base to achieve consensus and resolution amongst the Group teams and partners, and plays a pivotal role in finding a way forward with any challenge the Group comes across, whether internal or external. It is no surprise that his favourite quote comes from one of the most respected politicians of our time, Barack Obama: “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”.

A true champion for operational and organisational change, with genuine passion for the finance sector, our team, valued partners and education in general, Will’s imprint on our company culture is invaluable.