The managing director of Borderway Finance in Carlisle has received one of the industry’s most prestigious awards.
Mike Deans was named ‘Car Finance Business Leader of the Year’ at the Car Finance Awards in Manchester.
The award recognises an individual who has “demonstrated outstanding business leadership” over the past two years.
It represents a crowning achievement for Mike, 55, who joined the business in its earliest days in 1998 as a trainee account manager. He worked his way up to sales and marketing director and then, in 2016, managing director.
He said: “It was a shock when they read my name out. It’s one of the biggest events in the industry with some huge businesses in the room.
“This isn’t just for me, it’s recognition for everyone at Borderway.
“The business is all about the people. You have to have the right people. If they’re not receptive and don’t want to come on the journey with you, you’ll fail. This is a great accolade for everyone at Borderway Finance.”
Mike’s award recognises the progress the business has made and his contribution to the wider industry and the local community.
Borderway’s sales have grown strongly, especially since the Covid pandemic.
It provides exceptional customer service, achieving Feefo’s top Platinum Service Award – based on verified customer reviews – for the last four years.
Mike has championed internal development and progression, providing coaching and mentoring to the Borderway team, which saw the company achieve a three-star accreditation from Best Companies given only to employers that provide “world-class levels of workplace engagement”.
He chaired a specialist interest group on car finance for the Consumer Credit Trade Association and joined the Association’s board last November.
He was invited to join Credit 500, an exclusive group for the most impactful individuals in the credit industry, and since 2023 he has served as a director of People First, an independent advocacy charity in Carlisle.
His mantra remains – put the customer first.
He added: “Whatever you do in business, there’s always a customer at the end of it who expects a level of service and expects to be looked after.”
Outside work, Mike enjoys spending time with his family, walking their Staffordshire bull terrier Cooper and pursuing his hobbies, photography and videography. If he hadn’t worked in car finance, he might have been a DJ – he used to present the weekend breakfast show on CFM.
Mike was joined at the black-tie awards ceremony at The Monastery in Manchester, by sales support administrator Charlee Byers and administration assistant Leah Farish.
Find out how Borderway Finance can help you buy your next car – including a handy online finance calculator, here.
