The Intermediary – February 2026 - Flipbook - Page 69
I N P RO F I L E
‘Throw everything away and start again.’ Most
organisations already have substantial technology
estates and data assets. HDI gives them a lens to
say: what do we already have, how do we surface
the right data at the right time, and how do we
connect into an emerging ecosystem of data
standards and trust frameworks?”
The result, she says, is greater clarity, improved
collaboration and more informed decision
making for clients navigating complex property
transactions. She states: “It’s there to unlock
value quickly against real pain points –
manual rekeying, missing or out of date
information, lack of predictability.
It doesn’t compete with large
transformation programmes; it protects
them and gets proof of concepts
into market using real data and real
partnerships”.
Leadership and collaboration
Collaboration remains central to the firm’s
model, particularly with lenders, conveyancers,
proptechs and other professional partners.
Although Novus has not yet been directly
engaged by brokers, much of its work is designed
with their experience in mind.
Van der Zant says: “We do a lot of work with
lenders and with proptechs. A big part of that
is in service of making the broker role simpler.
When information doesn’t move clearly across
the transaction, brokers end up being the human
glue in the middle – explaining delays they
haven’t caused.”
For brokers specifically, her message is to
stay close to how the infrastructure is evolving.
According to Van der Zant, those individuals and
companies who help shape the next stage – by
influencing how data standards are applied
and how trust frameworks work day-to-day –
will find their positions strengthened rather
than undermined.
Regulation, she adds, is a constant backdrop.
She explains: “The regulatory drum never stops
beating. Things like the Smart Data Bill and
Consumer Duty absolutely shape what we need to
consider in the home buying and selling industry.
We’re closely plugged into that ecosystem,
but we don’t position ourselves as regulatory
transformation consultants. We work with
clients on how these changes intersect with the
customer journey.”
Cross-sector insight
Looking forward, Van der Zant says that Novus
continues to broaden its perspective. An example
of this is through initiatives such as the Spring
Aviation Immersion experience, reflecting
CLAIRE VAN
DER ZANT
the value of cross-sector insight in shaping
future strategy.
She notes: “We put that immersion tour on very
deliberately, because HDI can sound theoretical.
Aviation embodies HDI.
“Any two pilots can work together; they
may never have met, but the processes, data,
information, and communication are universal.
You cross borders and nothing stops – the
whole system flows because the industry-built
processes, not just systems, on shared data and
standards. We wanted people to touch and
feel that, see for themselves how powerful
that level of integration can be.”
The experience, she says, helps
industry stakeholders visualise what
a fully integrated property ecosystem
could feel like. She argues: “That’s
the kind of predictability and calm we
should be aiming for in home buying and
selling – a journey where the complexity
is expertly managed behind the scenes, not
pushed onto brokers and consumers.”
Looking ahead
By the end of 2026, the ambition is for Novus
Strategy to be recognised for its integrated,
strategic approach to complex decision making,
and for its tangible improvements in the
customer journey.
Van der Zant explains: “This year is about
execution. For a long-time there have been shiny
new things claiming to solve everything overnight
in a very fragmented, heavily regulated market.
There is no silver bullet. But we have now landed
on how to rewrite the fabric of this industry – and
this is going to work.
“The job is to get proof of concepts and pilots
into market that prove against outcomes, not
just reskinning journeys that still rely on manual
rekeying.”
Van der Zant says she wants Novus to be known
as the team that helped the industry progress
from its initial phase of digitalisation to full HDI.
She also sees a clear, grounded role for artificial
intelligence (AI) within that future.
She adds: “AI is exposing the same structural
problems brokers have been dealing with for
years. It only works when the underlying data
and handoffs work. It’s an AI capability, not an
independent thinker.
“Where it can have real impact is decision speed,
case progression visibility, and predictability
around service level agreements (SLAs). It’s not
here to wipe out jobs. If anything, leaning in and
understanding what AI can and can’t do will
help relieve pressure on brokers, lenders, and
conveyancers alike.” ●
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