Lima Ekram has joined the Financial Institutions Group within Capital One’s Commercial Bank as Managing Director, Residential Mortgage Banking research. In this role, she will be responsible for developing research on key macroeconomic and industry trends impacting the independent mortgage banking industry.

“Lima’s hire is critical to growing the Financial Institutions Group’s advisory capabilities for a residential mortgage industry that continues to see non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) as important market participants,” said Dave Kucera, Managing Vice President of the Financial Institutions Group within Capital One’s Commercial Bank. “Lima’s expertise and deep industry knowledge, paired with our warehouse lending and other financial service products, enables us to build long-term relationships with our clients in which we can understand and anticipate their financing and other needs throughout market cycles.”

Ekram has authored more than 50 research articles on topics ranging from collateral valuation and the risks of non-QM origination trends to the impact of new regulation on the mortgage market.

“After two years of record profitability and growth, non-bank mortgage companies are facing the challenge of declining origination volumes as rising interest rates are driving fewer refinances,” said Ekram. “With the drop in volume leading to shrinking gain-on-sale margins and the need to shed capacity, companies are facing the challenge of maintaining competitive strength while managing operational efficiency and liquidity in a difficult market.”

Ekram has more than two decades of experience in the industry. Prior to joining Capital One, Ekram was a Vice President at Moody’s Investors Service, where she worked for nine years. At Capital One, Ekram will focus on evaluating key market insights that will inform Capital One’s strategy of providing full-service banking solutions to non-bank financial institutions.