Leading NSW/ACT brokers revealed at Better Business Awards 2023

Run in partnership with NAB, the awards recognise brokers and brokerages across each state and territory who have written high volumes while serving in their clients’ best interests.

They also reward business development managers (BDM), loan administrators, thought leaders, and mentors for their hard work and dedication.

Over 550 members of the NSW/ACT broking industry attended the ceremony to support the 138 finalists vying for 22 awards, including the prestigious Broker of the Year award.

They were treated to the comedy stylings of Australian comedian and actor Stephen Curry, who assumed emcee duties and provided laughter throughout the evening.

Individual awards

Wealthful owner and mortgage broker Chris Bates was crowned Broker of the Year, after being named Best Residential Broker earlier in the evening.

Judges commended him for backing his productivity and growth with a clear service and profile-building program via podcasts and thought leadership.

Alycia Inglis, broker and director at Stoneturn, repeated her success in 2021 and won the Best Customer Service (Individual) award for her innovative approach to servicing professional expats and assisting women who have been through a divorce.

BF Money managing director and director of the Commercial and Asset Finance Brokers Association (CAFBA), George Karam, had two reasons to celebrate, as he was named Best Finance Broker and Thought Leader for being a prime example of someone who is paying it forward in his industry.

Meanwhile, Loan Market (Newcastle) loan specialist Heath Williams was named Best Regional Broker for identifying a niche market in his local area, building a foundation in the back office and growing year-on-year.

Kelly Carter — Mortgage Choice Port Macquarie mortgage broker — was named New Broker of the Year for her stellar performance despite various business challenges.

Smartfinn BDM and broker Demal George was named Mentor of the Year for empowering new brokers by providing one-on-one training since 2016.

For his dedication to paying it forward and using his experiences to help others, Truly Finance principal and mortgage and finance broker James Brett won the Wellness Advocate of the Year award.

The awards also shone a light on loan administrators, with PFS Financial Services’ loan administrator Megan Byrne receiving the Best Loan Administrator trophy for her integral role in helping the business become paperless.

The Adviser’s editor Annie Kane presented the Editor’s Choice to IFA Mortgages & Finance owner Anthony O'Flynn for his outstanding work on proactively repricing borrowers and for supporting and mentoring his team.

BDM successes on show

BDMs were recognised for their service to brokers, with the Best Lender BDM (Bank) award going to Bankwest partnership manager and 2021 winner Tes Anderson for managing a high-volume portfolio and achieving a 100 per cent net promoter score.

Resimac NSW BDM Craig Nicholas was the Best Lender BDM (Non-Bank) and praised for being innovative and demonstrating strong growth over the last 12 months.

AFG partnership manager Erin Williams clinched the Best Aggregator BDM prize after the pool of brokers she services saw substantial growth in their settlement values.

Group awards

The awards also championed teamwork and the achievements of broking groups.

Atelier Wealth (headed by managing director and finance broker Aaron Christie-David) won the Best Boutique Independent Office award for nurturing its team and boosting performance.

For the second consecutive year, Birdie Wealth received the Best Community Engagement trophy for consistently providing time and financial support for important causes.

The Best New Office trophy went to Evoke Capital (led by managing director and finance broker Matt Spears) for achieving exceptional growth.

Another double winner was Home Loan Experts (led by chief executive Alan Hemmings), adding the Best Customer Service (Office) and Best Large Independent Office trophies to its mantle.

Director Brenden Lowbridge’s Money Links (Newcastle) was named Best Regional Office for using technology to communicate effectively with clients and MoneyQuest Penrith (steered by finance specialist Peita Davies) was the Best Franchise Office for growing referrals from loyal clients.

Finally, Stamford Capital in Sydney (headed by joint managing directors Dominic Lo Surdo and Michael Hynes) was this year’s Best Finance Brokerage for yielding results from building a strong culture.

The brokerage also has offices in Melbourne, Brisbane, and Adelaide.

Congratulations to all the winners!

Click here to see the full list of winners.

Better Business Summit & Awards grand finale in Melbourne

The Better Business Summit and Awards roadshow will conclude with a bang in Melbourne next week, offering attendees a chance to learn, network, and celebrate their achievements.

The 2023 Better Business Summit agenda has been designed to focus on four primary pillars of content to help brokers re-engineer their businesses, including:

• Lead generation
• Operations
• Technology
• Sales

The Better Business Summit and Awards 2023 will be held on 30 March 2023 at Pullman Albert Hotel, Melbourne.

Click here to buy tickets to the summit and don’t miss out!

Did you know The Adviser Premium members go for free? Become a Premium member here.

For more information about the 2023 Better Business Summit including speakers and agenda, click here.

[Related: Best in SA/NT broking revealed at Better Business Awards 2023]