Rising Stars 2026: Why Good BDMs Do More Than Sell with Harry Pleasance

In this episode of NRG Insights: Rising Stars 2026, Marcus sits down with Harry Pleasance, Business Development Manager at Glenhawk.Harry has spent more than a decade in financial services, building experience across retail banking, investment platforms, later life lending, residential mortgages, buy-to-let, commercial finance and bridging.That broad background has shaped how he approaches business development today.Rather than focusing purely on products and transactions, Harry believes the best BDMs become trusted partners to brokers by understanding the wider market, helping solve problems and supporting clients beyond their own proposition.The conversation explores Harry’s journey from corporate banking into specialist lending, the lessons he's learned along the way, and why relationships continue to be one of the biggest differentiators in a competitive market.Harry also shares his thoughts on education, market knowledge and what younger professionals can do to build credibility and trust early in their careers.In this episode:Harry’s route into financial services and specialist lendingThe move from corporate environments into specialist financeWhy good BDMs do more than just sell productsBuilding long-term relationships with brokersThe importance of education in a fast-moving industryHow broad market knowledge helps brokers and clientsWhat makes a BDM valuable in today’s marketLessons learned from working across multiple lending sectorsWhether you're a broker, lender, BDM or someone building a career in specialist finance, this episode offers a practical look at what relationship-led business development really looks like.Listen on SpotifyWatch on YouTubeIf you like this episode, don’t forget to share and tag NRG in your post and let us know  what you liked so we can record more fantastic content for you.