Rugby legend and ex-RAF pilot helps lender with growth strategy

A FORMER RAF fighter pilot and English rugby hero is helping a property finance lender with its growth strategy.

Rory Underwood MBE DL, who is also the founder of strategy consultancy Wingman Ltd, has been engaged by MSP Capital to enhance its performance over the next five years.

The former England wing player, who remains the country’s record try scorer with 49 tries in 85 internationals, spent 18 years flying jets in the RAF and achieved the rank of flight lieutenant.

He founded his consultancy in 2009 and has since delivered leadership, development and strategy consultancy to a wide range of companies and organisations.

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Rory Underwood, far right with rugby ball and MSP Capital team members at a strategy workshop in Poole, Dorset (Image: Deep South Media) MSP Capital’s senior leadership team began working with Rory in December 2024, across six one-day workshops to evolve and strengthen the company’s growth strategy.

These have now been complemented by three all-employee workshops he has led in which 49 colleagues discussed, challenged and strengthened the vision.

Meeting off-site in Poole, groups of team members working across the firm’s job disciplines shared thoughts and ideas for action and identified any gaps.

The in-depth planning, with guidance from Rory, has produced an overall goal to grow the firm’s loan book to £750 million by 2030.

Commercial director Adam Tovey said: “Growing our business is all about continuing to make the best decisions we can based on what is right for our customers and our team.

“Engaging with Rory enabled us to broaden our knowledge and consider our plans from different perspectives.

“Ultimately, this has given us renewed focus on a performance-driven strategic direction for the company to further improve both employee and customer experience.

“We have discussed values, motivation, how to get the best from people, how to measure success, and, overall, how to elevate our potential and achieve greater things as a business.”

Rory said: “It has been a real privilege working with the team at MSP Capital.

“Whilst delivering the Wingman LIFT programme, the team showed great enthusiasm and engagement with each member contributing to the development of the strategy for the next five years.

“The MSP Capital strategy launch event confirmed that there are exciting times ahead and I know they will continue to build on their success.”