From ballroom dancing to football, we learn a little more about a man with many hidden talents; Katie-Jill Rowland speaks to James Moore, BDM at Regentsmead...

B&C: How long have you been at Regentsmead and what did you do before?

JM: I’ve been here since March 2009. Before that I worked in mortgage broking.

What did you want to be when you were a kid?

I always wanted to be a professional footballer

And what happened to that dream?

I suppose I wasn’t good enough. But I played up until I was 40, and I’ve trained at Tottenham and Arsenal.

What position do you play?

Centre-midfield.

What would you be doing if you weren’t working at Regentsmead?

I did have aspirations to be a chartered accountant actually... I’m good with numbers.

What’s the best thing about your job?

The feeling you get when a deal is completed and the customer is happy. It’s very fulfilling and enables me to provide extra income to our introducers in a very tough market.

And the worst?

Administration... paperwork is very time consuming, I’m a typical salesman, happy to speak all day and email but I’m not too good with mundane administration.

What trends have you noticed in the bridging industry over the last 12 months? And what trends do you predict over the next 12?

Any builder or developer who was worth anything never used to use a broker as they had direct contacts with banks, that’s all changed. We now find that more and more are using the broker network.The banks are simply not giving developers/ builders what they need.

Our development facility sticks to simple principles which enables us to lend which are ‘ clients capital commitment to the site, experience and capital contingency to pay our fees and monthly interest ’. We take a view in common sense terms which enables more room for flexibility. I expect that over the next 12 months, developers/ builders will continue to turn to brokers because the banks are just not willing to lend as they are looking to reduce their exposure in this sector.

Who do you fancy off the telly?

Angelina Jolie - stunning...

What is your favourite film?

Once upon a time in America – because it’s got some great actors in it, based on a tough period in American, great punch lines and it’s based on a true story.

And what’s your favourite book?

‘Not a penny more, not a penny less,’ by Jeffrey Archer.

If you could have a superpower for a day what would it be?

I think I’d be invisible so that I could go to the houses of Parliament and see what really goes on. And I take a recorder so that I could expose the truth!

What would people be surprised to learn about you?

I’m quite musical. I played the tin whistle. I also love dancing.

Really, I am surprised... what type of dancing?

Oh anything. I quite like jazz & soul. And I’d love to try ballroom dancing as well which I’m looking into this year.