Rudi Botha to lead UK mortgage network expansion

• BetterHome Group CEO Rudi Botha will relocate to the UK to lead HLPartnership, the country's largest privately owned mortgage network.
• HLPartnership supports more than 1,157 advisers, 568 partner firms and facilitates over £13.4 billion in annual mortgage registrations.
• The appointment strengthens BetterHome Group's international growth strategy while Charl Bruyns assumes leadership of the South African business.

BetterHome Group has announced a major milestone in its international growth strategy, with Group CEO Rudi Botha taking on the role of CEO of HLPartnership, the United Kingdom's largest privately owned mortgage and protection network, subject to Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) approval.

Botha will relocate to the UK to lead the next phase of the business's growth, working closely with HLPartnership's leadership team, advisers and partner firms while continuing to contribute to BetterHome Group's broader strategic direction.

HLPartnership, headquartered in Leicester, supports more than 1,157 mortgage advisers across 568 partner businesses and manages over £13.4 billion in annual mortgage registrations. Since its establishment in 2001, the network has built a strong reputation for supporting independent mortgage advisers through technology, compliance, lender access and business development.

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"The UK is an extraordinary market, and HLPartnership is an extraordinary business within it," says Botha. "Our focus is to invest in the platform, strengthen the adviser proposition and help our partners continue building successful businesses."

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The leadership transition follows BetterHome Group's strategic investment in HLPartnership in 2024, bringing together two organisations with similar business models built around independent advisers, technology and long-term partnerships.

Long-serving CEO Chris Tanner, who has led HLPartnership's growth into the UK's leading privately owned mortgage network, will remain with the business as an advisor, ensuring continuity and ongoing support for member firms.

Meanwhile, Charl Bruyns has been appointed CEO of BetterHome Group South Africa, ensuring the Group's local operations continue uninterrupted while the business advances its international expansion strategy.

The appointment reinforces BetterHome Group's ambition to grow its international footprint while continuing to invest in technology, innovation and adviser-led financial services across both the UK and South Africa.

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