ISCOVER
As we enter the second half of the decade, the CEO of the broker association has unveiled her vision for what broking will look like in 2030.
With 2030 fast approaching, the CEO of the Mortgage & Finance Association of Australia (MFAA) has outlined what she envisages the broker of the future to look like.
Speaking at the MFAA national conference in Melbourne on Wednesday (23 July), MFAA CEO Anja Pannek highlighted that we are now closer to 2030 than we are to the beginning of the 2020s and told broker delegates that while the pace of technological change and disruption is accelerating, she firmly believed that the third-party channel would retain dominance in the mortgage market.
Pannek emphasised that broker market share has been increasing rapidly – from 66 per cent in 2020 to around 77 per cent now.
According to Pannek, part of the increase over the 2020s so far has been due to the introduction of the best interests duty – which she called a “competitive advantage” for the channel – alongside the the channel’s “customer centricity, resilience and adaptability”.
Pannek said that broker market share was “fast approaching 80 per cent” for residential mortgages, while “more business owners than ever before are choosing to work with their commercial broker”.
She continued: “And, despite the rapid change of technology and how quickly it has impacted every part of our lives, including AI, more people than ever are seeking out that very personal interaction that only you can provide, as a broker.
“What we’re seeing is brokers consistently engaging with their clients much earlier in their decision process, before the property journey, before they’re even taking the steps in terms of growing their business for the next stage. And we’re seeing broker-client relationships for life as the norm.”
Pannek said lifelong relationships between brokers and their clients were down to “the work that you do, because of the choice and the competition that you offer”.
“Even if you reflect over the last four years with the significant economic challenges that many of your clients have gone through, that adaptability and resilience have absolutely shone through,” she continued.
The MFAA CEO said that the association had “a very clear vision for what the future of this industry is going to look like”, suggesting it would be defined by “human connection, cutting-edge tech, and unwavering client-first values”.
According to Pannek, by 2030, the broker will be a trusted, tech-integrated professional delivering hyper-personalised financial solutions in a human-centred, regulation-driven environment that values connection, trust, and best interests service.
She flagged that ensuring the broker of the future was seen as a true professional was part of the reason the association has launched a new ‘university-level’ designation for experienced mortgage brokers.
Noting that the rate of change – both economically and technologically – was “very unsettling”, she said that the one constant was the “deep need for connection and for belonging”.
Pannek explained: “It’s part of our DNA. This influences our behaviour. It influences our decision making. And that is not going to go away… we all deeply value human interaction, and – in particular – human interaction when it comes to making those really, really big decisions.
“And when a big decision is made, they’re made in professional environments and professional services industries, just like broking, because people need that personal interaction. They need trust in a process, and that’s in a way that computers can never technology can never do.
“People want a really hyper-personaliseed experience now, and they’re going to want it even more into the future where there is greater technology and almost a homogenisation of service.
“So in 2030, what’s the world going to look like? Australia is going to have a population of more than 30 million people. And that’s 30 million people who will want homes.
“Another big part of being Australian is home ownership and a desire for home ownership. Businesses will need access to credit.
“We see a future where you’ll be further integrating technology in a way that you want, at the pace, that you want to be able to deal with your clients, to improve your business, and to be able to deal with digitally savvy clients as well.
“And what we also see is a future where you’ll be providing a broader range of products and services to your clients, and importantly adding further revenue streams into your business.”
MFAA award winners announced
On Wednesday evening, the MFAA also announced the winners of the National Excellence Awards and life and honorary memberships.
There were a total of 138 national awards finalists – all winners in their categories at five state-based events held in Adelaide, Sydney, Perth, Melbourne, and Brisbane.
From these finalists, 26 national award winners were announced last night.
2025 MFAA National Excellence Award winners
|
Award category |
Winner |
|
Aggregator Award |
LMG |
|
Business Development Manager – Aggregator |
Jessie Stefanatos, Mortgage Choice |
|
Business Development Manager – Lender/Provider |
Roohi Kumar, St.George |
|
Commercial & Equipment Finance Broker |
Kevin Wheatley, Bayside Residential |
|
Community Champion |
Bernard Desmond, Blank Financial |
|
Customer Service – Business |
Finance Circle Group |
|
Customer Service – Individual |
Joseph Daoud, It’s Simple Finance |
|
Diversified Business |
HT Capital |
|
Diversity and Inclusion |
Trusted Financial Choice |
|
Finance Broker Business |
Azura Financial |
|
Fintech Lender |
UBank |
|
Loan Administrator |
Shelley Tetlaw, Loan Market Propel |
|
Major Lender |
Macquarie Bank |
|
Mentor of the Year |
Peter Mastroianni, Loans Only Pty Ltd |
|
Mentor Program |
Purple Circle Financial Services |
|
Mortgage Manager |
Rate Money |
|
Mutual/Credit Union Lender |
Teachers Mutual Bank Limited |
|
Newcomer |
Michaela Shaw, MoneyQuest Penrith & Blue Mountains |
|
Non-Major Lender |
Bankwest |
|
Professional Development |
LMG |
|
Regional Finance Broker |
Phil Rogers, Loan Market Edge |
|
Residential Finance Broker |
Balpreet Singh Bal, Loan Market Bal & Associates |
|
Specialty Lender |
Pepper Money |
|
Support Service Provider – Large Company |
Allianz |
|
Support Service Provider – Small Company |
Clear Credit Solutions |
|
Young Professional |
Kate Sadler, The Broker Society |
Honorary & life memberships
Life membership
-
Rose De Rossi – Recognised for 26 years of service, leadership, advocacy, and mentoring. She becomes the fourth person in Western Australia to become a life member.
Since joining the MFAA in 1999, Rose De Rossi has led at both state and national levels, driving member engagement, policy advocacy, and industry reform while mentoring brokers and shaping initiatives that gained national impact.
“Rose has poured a lot of energy into serving our members in WA and around the country as well as working for the betterment of the industry,” Pannek said.
“Her outstanding contributions and ongoing support are worthy of recognition.”
De Rossi said being recognised as an MFAA life member was one of the greatest honours of her career.
“It’s not just a milestone – it’s a moment to pause, reflect, and feel deep gratitude for the journey this industry has taken me on,” she said.
“After 40 years in finance, I can honestly say that my passion for helping people hasn’t faded – it’s only grown stronger. I’ve seen this industry evolve in so many ways, and every change has only reinforced the importance of what we do.
“When I started back in 1985, I never imagined the people I’d meet, the lives I’d impact, or how much this work would shape who I am. It’s been a privilege, and I wouldn’t trade a minute of it.”
Honorary memberships
-
Hank Spier – chair of MFAA Tribunal, contributor to Code of Practice and regulatory frameworks.
- Wendy Robertson – former South Australia/Northern Territory state manager, 21 years of member support and engagement.
[Related: New broker education designation released]
JOIN THE DISCUSSION