Meet the team | Elvis Mewsigwa

Tell us about your role at VM Finance

I’m currently working as a graduate underwriter, supporting the relationship managers across the business. A lot of my day-to-day work involves helping with report writing for credit applications, whether that’s for development finance or other products we offer.

That can include drafting documents, making sure everything is reviewed properly, and ensuring information is presented clearly and accurately for clients. I also support the mortgage side of the business, helping to upload and manage information through systems like Mortgage Brain.

I’m still in the early stages of the role, so a big part of what I’m doing is learning how the business operates as a whole and getting to grips with the different processes and products.

What qualities do you think are most important in your role?

Trust is a big one. We’re dealing with a lot of sensitive personal and financial information, so clients need to feel confident that their data is being handled properly and securely. Without that trust, it’s very difficult to build strong working relationships.

Attention to detail is also essential. When you’re reviewing documents, even small discrepancies can signal potential risks in a credit application. Being able to spot those and double check information is really important.

Teamwork plays a big role too, especially at this stage in my career. There’s a lot to learn, and working closely with more experienced colleagues helps me build my understanding and develop in the role.

Tell us a bit about your journey in the industry

I studied aerospace engineering and astronautics at university in Kingston upon Thames. While I enjoyed the subject, I’d always had a strong interest in finance, so I knew quite early on that I wanted to move into that field professionally.

After graduating, I joined Hargreaves Lansdown, working as an investment helpdesk consultant for around 18 months. That role gave me a great introduction to the financial services industry. I was speaking to clients regularly, helping them with investment queries, explaining account activity and providing support during more volatile market periods.

From there, I was looking for a new challenge and something that would allow me to get closer to the credit side of the industry. That’s what led me to VM Finance. Since joining, I’ve been able to start building my experience in underwriting and gain a much deeper understanding of how deals are structured.

What is it that makes VM stand out from the crowd?

One of the biggest things is the strength of the relationships the team builds with clients. There’s a real focus on trust and long-term partnerships rather than just transactions.

Compared to more traditional lenders, VM tends to be more flexible in how it works with clients. Development projects don’t always go exactly to plan, and when challenges come up, the team works with clients to find solutions rather than simply pushing risk back onto them.

There’s a sense that both sides are working towards the same outcome, with measures in place to protect both the client and the business. That more collaborative, supportive approach is something that really stands out.

Outside of work, what’s important to you? What are your hobbies and passions?

I’m a big football fan and a Chelsea supporter, so a lot of my weekends revolve around watching games and keeping up with the season.

I also like to stay active and spend a good amount of time in the gym, mainly focusing on weight training. Alongside that, I try to give back where I can, so I spend some time supporting charities when the opportunity comes up.

More generally, I’ve got a strong interest in politics and enjoy keeping up to date with what’s going on and building my understanding over time.