Link Asset Services has completed its acquisition of FlexFront Group – comprising Dutch mortgage broker FlexFront Distribution and mid-office servicer Nationaal Hypotheek Loket (NHL).
The deal completed on 2 April 2019. Dutch regulators approved the acquisition without conditions on 18 March 2019.
FlexFront Group has established a reputation for excellence in technology and customer-service. It has supported the mortgage acceptance process since 1997, and won Best Service Provider at the Gouden Lotus Awards for three consecutive years – from 2016 to 2018.
FlexFront Distribution is also one of the largest service providers to the mortgage intermediary market, supporting 1,700 mortgage advice offices across the Netherlands.
FlexFront Distribution and Nationaal Hypotheek Loket provide mortgage-acceptance services under proxy on behalf of 12 lenders, including NIBC Bank, MUNT Hypotheken, Tulp Hypotheken, Vista Mortgages and Argenta.
Dylan Dresens, former director of strategy at the Dutch government’s mortgage guarantee scheme, NHG, succeeds Antoinette Kalkman as FlexFront’s managing director. Antoinette, who co-founded FlexFront, will stay with the business as a consultant to provide strategic advice and manage client relationships along with Dylan Dresens and operations director, Gijs van Reeden.
The acquisition marks the latest milestone for Link in the Netherlands, following a year of growth in the mortgage market. In 2018, the group acquired mortgage special servicer Novalink, and partnered with tech start-up Leveris to build a primary servicing platform for the Dutch market.
Robbie Hughes, CEO of Link’s banking and credit management business, says: “The Netherlands is one of the most attractive mortgage markets in Europe, underpinned by low default rates and vibrant new lending. Both FlexFront and NHL are ideally placed to accelerate our expansion there. We share a strong customer focus with both, and can offer a compelling end-to-end proposition, providing clients with a full spectrum of servicing solutions.
“Dylan, Antoinette and Gijs bring a huge amount of knowledge and expertise. They will be key contributors to the rapid growth we foresee in the Dutch market.”
