The new head of the Council of Mortgage Lenders has been named.  He is Martijn Van der Heijden, head of lending at HSBC.  Colin Walsh is being replaced, as he makes his exit from Lloyds Banking Group.  The two new wingmen for Heijden have many years of banking experience between them. They will step into the deputy chairmen positions – Nigel Terrington of the Paragon Group, and Stephen Noakes of Lloyds.

Heijden has served the CML as a deputy chairman since early 2009.  He commented on his new position, saying: "I thank Colin for his dedication to the industry. I share his aim of trying to harness the expertise of the different kinds of lenders in the UK to help to bring about an industry united in its goal to improve the mortgage market.

"Regulation - domestic and from Europe - will dominate the CML's actions for the rest of the year and well into 2012.

“It is of the utmost importance that the UK gets the regulation right, as this will play a huge part in ensuring our industry helps the UK economic recovery and underpins a sustainable housing finance market."

Robert Sinclair, of the Association of Mortgage Intermediaries, discussed the new appointment of Heijden, saying: "Martijn Van der Heijden is an experienced and very well respected senior industry figure who has driven a successful expansion of HSBC's mortgage commitment.

"AMI remains confident that the new team at the CML is well placed to lead the industry to deliver more sustainable home ownership, ensuring that consumers are able to access a full suite of products through as wide a range of providers as possible.

"We are sure that CML policy will continue to reflect the fact that most mortgages are sourced via intermediaries."