A leading non-bank leader has ramped up its east coast teams and broker expertise channels amid soaring appetite for alternative loans.
Pepper Money, a non-bank lender specialising in home loans and commercial finance, has announced broad operational upgrades to its sales, support, leadership, and credit teams to capitalise on a forecast high-growth period for alternative lending.
The non-bank lender on Wednesday (21 January) revealed that a fresh hub of residential credit assessors would now span across Queensland, NSW, and Victoria, sharpening turnaround speeds and bolstering skills along bustling eastern corridors.
Meanwhile, the commercial and self-managed super fund (SMSF) credit team has also grown, fuelling faster innovation in product development to meet rising demands.
Pepper Money’s CEO for mortgages and commercial lending, Barry Saoud, said the shifts would fortify the entire deal pipeline.
“From the first conversation to final approval, brokers now have access to deeper credit expertise, more specialised guidance, and strengthened national coverage,” he said.
Bolstering frontline firepower
Pepper Money said headcount rises would bring increased muscle to critical support zones, with extra business support specialists, relationship managers, and sales support staff primed to deliver swift replies, polished advice, and hands-on help from query to close.
The lender will also roll out a revamped state lead framework, designed to cement aggregator alliances, amplify broker coaching, and supercharge day-to-day operations.
Senior business development manager Tony Wakim has been appointed the NSW state lead, while Vladimir Murphy-Mulcahy will depart Mortgage Ezy to become Pepper's Queensland lead.
Eastern BDM boost
Business development manager ranks will swell across NSW, Victoria, and Queensland, with Pepper Money hiring a raft of new broker-facing team members.
The lender said the move would “increase coverage, ensure more on‐the‐ground support, faster access to expertise, and provide a stronger Pepper Money presence across major lending corridors”.
The Queensland team will welcome Nikita Borg as its new business development manager, Keishan Sub as relationship manager, and Hrideyjot ‘Ridday’ Walia as business support specialist.
Meanwhile, the NSW team will see new additions, including Iva Young as senior business development manager, alongside Alice Moniz in the BDM slot.
The Victorian team will also receive new senior hires with Georgia Constantinidis as business development manager, joined by senior BDMs Anthony Stiles and Aysun Portoglou.
Saoud said the new hires were comprised of industry veterans who had a comprehensive understanding of complex cases.
“Our expanded teams bring together seasoned industry professionals who understand the nuances of complex scenarios and know how to navigate them with confidence – ensuring brokers can move with speed in a market that’s moving faster than ever,” he said.
“For brokers, the message is simple: when you bring a deal to Pepper Money, you’re backed by the right people with the right skills to get it done. We’re growing so our brokers can grow – and we’re committed to being the partner they rely on.”
Pepper Money said personnel expansions highlighted the company’s commitment to being the “first-choice non-bank for brokers” amid continued non-bank growth.
“Industry insights from competitive audits highlight Pepper Money’s strong reputation among brokers for ‘client fit’ and real‐life lending capability,” the lender said.
Pepper Money’s east coast expansion responds to a market where flexible lending is experiencing significant traction, with third-party channels originating over 75 per cent of new residential loans, up sharply from 57 per cent in 2017.
[Related: More than half of brokers currently using non-bank lenders]
