The Intermediary – February 2026 - Flipbook - Page 80
Meet The Broker
AS Financial
Marvin Onumonu speaks with Asher Kenton, mortgage adviser
at AS Financial
What led to you
becoming a broker?
I retrained as a mortgage broker
during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Before that I was an events manager
and, prior to that, a music promoter.
When I was put on furlough quite
early on, I started to worry about
the long-term future of the events
industry with all the lockdowns.
While I was at home, I used the
time to study for my CeMAP exams.
I started around June, passed in
October, and then began looking
for a new role. I called a number
of well-reviewed broker firms in
London and managed to secure a job
at AS Financial. That was about five
years ago.
What is something
outside of work that
people might like to know
about you?
Outside of work I run a music
promotions company called Portals.
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The Intermediary | February 2026
We promote alternative and mostly
rock-based music events, from gigs
to festivals.
That was my original background
before moving into mortgages.
Becoming a broker was ultimately a
more financially secure way to use
the transferable skills I’d developed
through organising events and
private functions.
How have you found
the transition from the
events industry to the
mortgage industry?
The transition has been very positive.
It’s nice to be in an industry the
Government clearly cares about,
given how closely the property
market is tied to the wider economy,
whereas music and events often
feels overlooked despite its cultural
and economic importance.
The mortgage industry offers
better long-term career prospects
and stability, but it still allows me to
spend most of my day with clients
and building relationships, which
I’ve always enjoyed. There is also
a strong problem-solving element
because every case is different.
I’ve found helping first-time
buyers (FTBs) who thought they’d
never be able to purchase a home
particularly rewarding.
What sets your
firm apart?
At AS Financial we tend to build
personal, goals-based relationships
with our clients, and we see
ourselves more as advisers than
brokers. Rather than trying to
compete purely on rate, when most
whole-of-market advisers have
access to broadly the same products,
we focus on the quality of our advice
and service.
We manage the entire process for
the client from start to finish, rather
than simply arranging a deal and
stepping away. I want clients to leave
the first meeting confident enough
to go out and make offers knowing
what to expect at each stage. The
advice is holistic and tailored to each
client’s circumstances, supported
