Digital Disruption

Smart data, standards, trust frameworks, data exchange and orchestration are terms every lender is hearing right now, and most are being used interchangeably when they shouldn't. In this episode the Novus Strategy team pulls them apart, explains how they fit together, and sets out what lenders should be doing about it now. What Smart Data actually is:  verifiable, reusable data that moves securely...

The UK takes around 134 days to complete a home purchase, and roughly a third of sales fall through. The problem isn't technology. It's data: manual, duplicated, non-portable, non-trusted data. In this episode of the Digital Disruption Podcast, Claire Van der Zant, Chief Exec of Novus Strategy, is joined by three organisations who have just proved a different model works. The Smart Property Data T...

In this end of year edition of the Digital Disruption podcast, hosted by Claire Van der Zant, Chris Williams and Pete Gatenby, we look back at a pivotal year for the home buying and selling sector and share what it means for the road ahead. From the biggest shifts of 2025 to the smart moves organisations need to make in 2026, it's a forward-looking conversation you won't want to miss. To be the fi...

In this November micro-edition of the Digital Disruption Podcast, Pete Gatenby, AI Practice Partner at Novus Strategy, is joined by Alastair Thornton, Director of Growth at Yopa. Together, they explore how Horizontal Digital Integration (HDI) is reshaping the property sector - and what estate agents can do today to stay ahead. They explore: Why Proof of Concept is becoming a key catalyst for progr...

In this month's micro-edition of the Digital Disruption Podcast, Pete Gatenby, AI Practice Partner at Novus Strategy, is joined by Robert Thickett, Digital Policy Manager at the Building Societies Association. Together, they discuss how building societies are approaching digital transformation, the role of AI, and the emerging innovations shaping the mutual sector.  This episode dives into: How AI...

In this micro-edition of the Digital Disruption Podcast, Claire Van der Zant (Novus Strategy) is joined by Mat Hahn, Head of Estate Agent Partnerships at the LMS. They explore: Why 2025 marks a turning point for digital progress in estate agency How Horizontal Digital Integration (HDI) is reshaping the property transaction process The growing role of material information and smarter collaboration...

In this micro-edition of the Digital Disruption Podcast, Chris Williams (Novus Strategy) is joined by Paul Broadhead, Head of Mortgage and Housing Policy at the Building Societies Association. They explore: Why 2025 has brought renewed momentum to the mortgage market The role of regulation in enabling (or restricting) innovation How horizontal digital integration could transform the home buying pr...

In this episode of Digital Disruption, we explore Agentic AI and its potential uses for the UK homebuying and property sector. Host Pete is joined by Novus Strategy's new CEO, Claire van der Zant to discuss how AI is evolving beyond chatbots and automation – now capable of taking initiative, making decisions, and linking complex processes across the housing chain. We delve into: What Agentic AI is...

🔍 Is your digital strategy keeping up with the demands of today's home buying journey? In our latest Digital Disruption Podcast, we unpack Horizontal Digital Integration (HDI) — a game-changing strategy for UK lenders and ecosystem players. 🏡 The challenge? Internal optimisation has hit its ceiling. 💡 The opportunity? Collaborating left and right — across CRMs, brokers, estate agents and data s...

The property market is at a tipping point, and Horizontal Digital Integration (HDI) is set to transform the way lenders, brokers, and conveyancers operate. 🔑 Key Takeaways from Our Latest Podcast: ✅ HDI will drive predictability, allowing borrowers to select move-in dates with certainty. ✅ Lenders must shift from operational efficiency to customer-centric growth, using real-time data to offer i...

🚀 Government Data Sharing: The Future of Property Transactions? In our latest Digital Disruption Podcast, Pete Gatenby & Chris Williams break down the UK Government's latest announcement on data sharing and what it means for lenders, brokers, and conveyancers. 🔑 Key Takeaways from This Episode: ✅ Faster, more efficient property transactions through digital integration. ✅ How Horizontal Digital...

In this New Year's episode of the Digital Disruption podcast , hosts Chris Williams and Pete reflect on their 2024 predictions , analyse which came true, and set out their forecasts for 2025 . Key themes from 2024 included : AI Disruption : Rapid advancements in AI, particularly in lending and conveyancing, but live adoption in the market lagged behind its technical capabilities. New AI-driven Pla...

In this 50th episode of the Digital Disruption Podcast, Pete and Chris along an expert cross-panel from across the UK Home Buying and Selling Industry, to answer the question: Will A Full End-To-End Digital Home-Buying and Selling Experience Become Reality? We want to thank again our expert Panel Guests, who provided their key insight, including: Charlotte Raw, Head of Mortgage Lending, Newcastle...

Key insights from the podcast: Six Steps to AI Strategy : The podcast outlines a structured approach to adopting AI, including identifying pain points, exploring creative solutions, prioritising actions and more. AI's Role in Home Buying : AI is positioned as a transformative tool to address inefficiencies in the home buying ecosystem. The Importance of AI Adoption : Organisations not embracing AI...

Key insights from the podcast: The Shift to Interconnected Systems: The market is moving from siloed "vertical phase" digitisation to the collaborative "horizontal phase" through Horizontal Digital Integration (HDI). Consumer and Market Maturity: Over 50% of home buyers are now "digital natives" demanding seamless, tech-driven experiences akin to e-commerce platforms. Vendors and market players no...

In this episode of the Digital Disruption Podcast, hosts Pete Gatenby and Chris Williams delve into the role of standardised, shareable data in transforming the home buying and selling process. The discussion focuses on how the adoption of "Horizontal Digital Integration" (HDI) and data standards can significantly streamline transactions, reduce redundancy, and improve customer experiences in the...

In this episode of the Digital Disruption Podcast, Chris Williams and Pete Gatenby discuss the challenges and implications of a "strategic disconnect" in digital transformation within the home buying and selling market. Building on their previous discussion about horizontal digital integration (HDI), they explore how a lack of understanding around HDI and poor communication between strategy and de...

In this episode of the Digital Disruption Podcast , hosts Chris Williams and Pete Gatenby delve into the topic of vertical fragmentation and its impact on the UK home buying process. They discuss how isolated digital solutions have led to inefficiencies, delays, and friction in transactions across the property market's ecosystem. With various actors like vendors, lenders, and property firms all af...

In this episode of the Digital Disruption Podcast , hosts Chris Williams and Pete Gatenby dive deep into the shifting landscape of the UK home-buying market, with a focus on the evolving demographic of buyers and sellers. As digital natives (millennials and Gen Z) become the majority in the property market, the demand for seamless, digital-first experiences is reshaping how transactions happen. Th...

In this episode of the Digital Disruption Podcast by Novus Strategy, Pete Gatenby and Chris Williams discuss how to leverage two simple models that can accelerate your digital transformation and save you time and money. The first is the Investment Versus Impact framework, where Pete and Chris share some key insights and methods on using this model and how you can quickly begin to outpace competiti...

In this episode of the Digital Disruption Podcast by Novus Strategy, Pete Gatenby and Chris Williams discuss how to prepare your business for digital transformation and disruption in the home buying sector. Learn about AI readiness, data organisation, agile methodologies, and building high-performing teams. Discover the importance of business readiness and technology delivery in achieving successf...

In this episode of the Digital Disruption podcast by Novus Strategy and Consulting, Pete Gatenby and Chris Williams discuss the alarming rise in conveyancing scams, with a 29% increase reported by Lloyd's Banking Group. We delve into the role of digital transformation in the home buying sector, focusing on innovative solutions to enhance security and efficiency. Learn how digital conveyancing solu...

Explore the pivotal role of building societies in the UK's home buying sector and the digital transformation journey they undertake. This episode of the Digital Disruption Podcast, presented by Novus Strategy, delves into the challenges of interoperability, the importance of digital readiness, and innovative strategies for legacy technology integration. Discover how to navigate vendor selection an...

Agile Transformation in UK Mortgage Sector: Building High-Performing Teams Description: Dive into the heart of digital transformation within the UK mortgage and home buying sector with Novus Strategy. In this episode of the Digital Disruption podcast, hosts Pete Gatenby and Chris Williams share invaluable insights on the pivotal role of people in driving technological advancements. Discover strate...

Discover the future of UK home buying with Novus Strategy's latest Digital Disruption Podcast episode. Join Pete Gatenby and Chris Williams as they delve into the digital transformation of the conveyancing process, aiming to streamline mortgage transactions and improve customer experiences. Learn about the critical role of data-driven decision-making, the importance of market collaboration, and th...