Aussie Home Loans has unveiled a new leadership role overseeing its national shopfront network as it intensifies its retail expansion.
Aussie Home Loans, part of Lendi Group, has appointed Dino Pacella as its inaugural general manager, retail, in a move the business said reflected the scale of its franchise footprint and its ambitions to expand and sharpen store performance.
The newly created position will see Pacella responsible for lifting store performance, driving network growth, and boosting broker productivity across Aussie’s retail channel while helping shape the group’s future retail proposition and strengthen links across the wider network.
Pacella will formally step into the position on 1 July 2026.
He brings more than 20 years in financial services, with roles across banking, broking, and business development, including senior positions at Suncorp Bank and, most recently, leading the third‑party commercial referral arm of Marketplace Finance within Simplicity Loans & Advisory Group.
Earlier in his career, he worked at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) and is also the founder of National Finance Brokers Day.
Lendi Group chief distribution officer Brad Cramb said the decision to carve out a dedicated retail leadership position reflected how central the shopfront channel had become to the group’s growth plans.
“Aussie has one of the largest and most established retail broker networks in the country, and creating this role reflects both the scale of that network today and our ambitions for the future,” Cramb said.
“Dino brings a rare combination of commercial leadership, relationship-building capability and deep industry credibility. He has a strong track record of helping businesses grow, developing high-performing teams and building trusted partnerships across the broker channel.”
He added that Pacella’s experience working closely with brokers and franchise operators was a key reason for his appointment.
Pacella targets ‘championship‑calibre’ franchise network
Pacella said his arrival came at an important point for both Aussie and the wider broker ecosystem, as more borrowers gravitate towards advice delivered through intermediaries.
“There’s a strong sense of momentum around Aussie right now. It’s an iconic brand with an incredible footprint, but what stood out to me was the ambition to keep evolving, improving and strengthening the network,” Pacella said.
“The conversations I had with the leadership team were centred on people, culture, performance and creating an environment where franchisees can genuinely thrive.
“That aligned strongly with how I view leadership and growth.”
He added that he was looking for a platform where he could work alongside high‑performing peers and leaders.
“At this stage of my career, I wanted to be part of a championship-calibre team surrounded by high performers, strong leadership and people who are committed to continuous improvement,” Pacella said.
Listening to franchisees and lifting standards
Looking ahead, Pacella said his first priority would be to spend time with existing franchisees, understand their opportunities and pain points, and use that feedback to guide how the network evolved.
“The strongest recruitment story any network can tell is the success of its existing franchisees,” Pacella said.
“My priority will be listening to franchisees, understanding where we can improve and ensuring we continue building a network that is highly engaged, commercially strong and customer-focused.”
Pacella said Aussie’s brand recognition and national reach gave it a strong base but added that future expansion would need to be deliberate and quality‑driven.
“The opportunity now is to continue scaling that footprint strategically while raising standards, supporting franchisees and delivering exceptional customer experiences across the country,” Pacella outlined.
[Related: Aussie launches ‘rate radar’ tool for borrowers]
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