Movers & Shakers

MyState Group welcomes new head of broker

MyState Group has announced the appointment of Mark Woolnough as head of broker to lead the newly integrated third-party distribution teams across MyState and Auswide Bank.

Woolnough’s appointment follows the successful commencement of the mutual banks’ merger and he will lead the newly unified broker teams.

He brings more than 20 years of experience in financial services, distribution leadership, and broker channel management to the new role, including a lengthy stint at ING Australia.

He also held senior sales roles at data and analytics company Cotality (formerly CoreLogic) and personal lender Plenti.

Brett Morgan, MyState Limited managing director and CEO, commented: “Mark’s passion for brokers, deep industry expertise and leadership qualities make him the ideal person to lead our group’s broker distribution teams.”

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Bridgit appoints first CRO to expand reach

Bridging finance specialist Bridgit has welcomed Nick Ognenovski as its chief revenue officer, a newly created role that will see him heavily involved in go-to-market and sales planning.

In the new role, Ognenovski leads Bridgit’s end-to-end revenue strategy, including go-to-market plans, improving performance through both broker and direct channels, and organises the sales team to help the business grow faster.

Before joining Bridgit, he served as chief operating and revenue officer at cashback website Cashrewards (an ASX-listed business prior to its acquisition by ANZ), leading revenue-generating functions.

With nearly 20 years of experience in sales and operations, Ognenovski has held several other senior leadership positions, including as country manager of e-commerce marketplace Groupon for both Australia and the UAE.

Commenting on the appointment, Bridgit CEO Aaron Bassin said: “Nick will play a key role in expanding our reach and delivering exceptional solutions and experiences to our partners.”

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First Federal names industry veteran as new CEO

Non-bank lender First Federal has named financial services veteran and former Viking Residential general manager James Angus as its new CEO.

Established in 2020, the non-bank specialises in near-prime, specialist, and self-declared commercial loans up to $25 million (all property-backed).

Angus brings extensive experience from previous roles, having led Macquarie Bank’s mortgage business and broker strategy, and served as chief customer officer at Bluestone for four years.

Speaking to The Adviser about his vision for the lender, Angus outlined that he wished to simplify lending and put brokers “front and centre.”

He commented: “We’re here to shake things up and simplify lending with a model that puts brokers front and centre.”

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Connective promotes head of broker to new role

Major aggregation group Connective has promoted its head of broker channel, Brad Clucas, to head of strategic member engagement.

Clucas began in the newly created role at the start of July, tasked with strengthening the link between brokers and Connective’s executive team.

He will work directly with brokers to build relationships and ensure they are getting the most from Connective’s platforms, services, and support.

Connective said Clucas would also be responsible for bringing the broker voice into strategy and shaping the aggregator’s long-term direction in line with broker needs.

Commenting on his appointment, Clucas said: “I’m looking forward to spending more time listening to our brokers, learning what truly matters to them, and translating that into real, tangible improvements in their experience and future with us.”