By:
Anja Pannek
CEO, MFAA
If you speak to brokers every day, they feel they are working in a very dynamic, fast-paced environment.
That’s an exciting place to be, but it comes with pressure. Brokers are not only managing higher levels of inquiry and helping clients navigate current market conditions, but they’re also working through issues such as the budget changes and thinking about their own businesses.
There are also major changes underway around technology and AI. The question now is how to integrate AI and other solutions into lead generation, marketing, client management, and ongoing retention in a way that is both efficient and secure.
At the same time, brokers are evolving their businesses to meet changing client expectations.
We’ve seen a real acceleration in the maturity of this industry. I often say this isn’t about the transaction – it’s about the entire client relationship and guiding people through some of the biggest financial decisions of their lives.
Trust is in the very DNA of this industry.
If you think about the definition of trust, it’s simple: I can trust you as my broker because I know you’ll put my best interests first. Importantly, that commitment has been enshrined through the introduction of the best interests duty in 2021.
In the world we live in today, with the influence of social media and widely publicised cases of fraud in lending, people want confidence that they can trust the person sitting in front of them when making life’s biggest financial decisions.
It feels like an overnight success that has actually been years in the making, doesn’t it?
We see brokers every day turning up, working with their clients, building trusted relationships, and acting in their clients’ best interests. Through providing choice in lending, choice in solutions, guidance and support, that trust has been earned over time.
The outcome is a highly competitive lending market in Australia, and the ultimate beneficiary of that is the client.
I think professional development is absolutely critical if you’re a broker in this industry.
When you first enter the profession, education is focused on understanding regulation and compliance. But that’s just the baseline. In a dynamic environment like the one brokers operate in, nothing is static.
For brokers, I’d encourage them, even in a busy environment, to carve out time to step away from the day-to-day. Take opportunities to connect and network with peers, build new relationships, and hear what’s happening across the industry.
Our aim for this year’s conference is that attendees will walk away with valuable insights they can take back and implement the very next day.
The agenda strikes a good balance between understanding where we are today and where we’re heading as an industry.
One of the highlights is that we’ve secured ASIC commissioner Alan Kirkland. As we know, ASIC is currently reviewing the mortgage broker best interests duty – the first review since the regulation was introduced in 2021. We’ll hear directly from the commissioner about his perspectives on trust and why it remains so critical to our industry.
AI is another major theme. It’s changing many aspects of how we work and live. We have Daniel Murray joining us to explore the intersection of trust, leadership, and AI.
I’m also particularly excited that we’ll be joined by our sister association, the Mortgage Professionals of Canada. This presents a unique opportunity to gain global perspectives on what’s happening in mortgage broking internationally.
Alongside the keynote sessions, we’ll have practical breakout sessions focused on improving business performance. Whether it’s lead generation, client management, or the process from lead through to settlement, we’ll be unpacking ways brokers can refine and strengthen their operations.
The awards provide an opportunity to recognise excellence and professionalism across the industry. They celebrate a wide range of achievements – from how brokers run their businesses and serve their clients and communities to the support provided by lenders, service providers, and aggregators.
It’s a real privilege to be involved in the awards at both the state and national levels. Being recognised among the best in the industry based on how you conduct your business, work with clients, contribute to the industry, and support your community is a significant achievement.
“We see brokers every day turning up, working with their clients, building trusted relationships, and acting in their clients’ best interests. Through providing choice in lending, choice in solutions, guidance and support, that trust has been earned over time.”
- Anja Pannek, CEO, MFAA
Tune in to hear more!
You can listen to the full conversation with MFAA CEO Anja Pannek about the future of the broking industry, in the Broker Daily Spotlight podcast, here:
Anja Pannek
CEO, MFAA
