Bluestone shakes up exec leadership team

Non-bank lender Bluestone Home Loans has named Mark Jones as its new chief executive and Tony MacRae as its new chief sales officer.

Mr Jones carries experience working with global banks in Asia, the big four banks, and fintech lending sectors. He will be assuming the role of CEO from outgoing CEO Campbell Smyth, who retired from the role after a 10-year stint.

Mr Jones previously held the role of CEO of SocietyOne, where he led an overhaul of marketing and digital capabilities in order to enhance customers’ experiences and outcomes as well as heading Citibank’s mortgages business in Australia.

Mr MacRae’s new role of chief sales officer will have him responsible for leading broker sales and distribution activities. He brings over a decade of experience in the mortgage broker space, having held roles with major bank Westpac, such as acting CEO of RAMS, and general manager of third-party distribution.

Both appointees have commenced with their new roles, as chief customer officer James Angus concludes his tenure at the end of August.

Commenting on his appointment, Mr Jones said: “My years in financial services have ingrained a deep connection with mortgages, making this opportunity a seamless fit.

“Bluestone’s commitment to serving the one in 10 non-standard home loan customers resonates strongly with me.

“I see unlimited potential for Bluestone, and I look forward to collaborating with the team to elevate the lending experience for both customers and broker partners.”

Mr MacRae said: “My passion is for delivering service and leadership above expectations. I’ll be working closely with the team to build opportunities for our broker partners and streamlining business interactions.”

Mr Jones continued, stating that the non-bank lender is “positioned for growth and success in the non-bank sector”.

“Tony and I remain committed to Bluestone’s vision of creating outstanding home loan experiences for our customers and partners, and we look forward to strengthening business capabilities to achieve our goals,” Mr Jones said.

Rebranding

These appointments followed Bluestone recently rebranding its logo, tagline, and website to showcase its specialisation in offering mortgage solutions for customers who “don’t fit in the box”.

Launched on 22 May, Bluestone’s new circular logo and tagline of “lending shaped around you” aims to demonstrate its approach to fit the loan to the customer.

According to the non-bank lender, the move comes to better reflect its service proposition.

[RELATED: Bluestone updates logo to better reflect its niches]