Australian Broking Awards finalists announced

As well as a host of the biggest names in the industry vying for the top accolade, this prestigious event has also attracted a raft of new talent.

Five groups will have the chance to win back-to-back awards after the finalists were announced today.

Mortgage Choice has been named as a contender for two of the categories it won in 2013: ‘Major Brokerage of the Year – Franchise’ and ‘Best Ethical/Social Responsibility Program’.

Connective will also have the chance to back up in two categories: ‘Aggregator of the Year’ and ‘Best Training and Education’.

Other groups with the chance to repeat will be Tiffen & Co for ‘Best Office – Non-Franchise’, Ballast for ‘Boutique Aggregator of the Year’ and Liberty Financial for ‘Best Innovator’.

Mortgage Choice will face stiff competition to be named ‘Major Brokerage of the Year – Franchise’, with Aussie Home Loans, Century 21 Home Loans, eChoice and Loan Market also named as finalists.

There will be five contenders for the ‘Major Brokerage of the Year – Non-Franchise’ award: House+Home Loans and Rate Detective Finance, KeyInvest Lending Services, Loan Gallery, Oxygen Home Loans and Resolve Finance.

The Australian Broking Awards will be held in Sydney on August 15 in conjunction with principal partner Commonwealth Bank.

The bank’s executive general manager of retail products & third-party banking, Lyn Cobley, said Commonwealth Bank was proud to be associated with the awards.

“CBA is committed to the mortgage broking industry and to events such as this, which allows us to pay tribute to the industry’s top performers,” she told The Adviser.

“The event also gives us a great opportunity to say thank you to many of our valued partners and enjoy a lunch and a little time together.”

Ms Cobley said it was an honour for the brokerages and aggregators that were nominated as finalists.

“It reflects their professionalism and their ability to build strong businesses and deliver sensational customer service,” she said.

The Adviser’s publisher, Jim Hall, said this would be the most exciting annual Australian Broking Awards to date.

“The industry has seen some great new talent emerge over the last year or two, which has left the various awards categories more open than at any time in the past,” he said.

“This year could mark a changing of the guard, with a few of the rising stars in with a real chance to ‘knock off’ some big industry names.

“We’ve also introduced two new categories to ensure that the Australian Broking Awards remains fresh.”