Judges Pack

Thursday 10 April 2025 | Auckland War Memorial Museum

Thank you for your commitment to judge the New Zealand Mortgage Awards 2025. We value your contribution and assistance to ensure the integrity and rigour of these important awards.

The awards research process began in October with a 7-week nomination period, which saw a new record number of nominations received from across the industry. This was followed by further industry research to ensure our 2025 awards nominees are of the highest calibre.

All nominees have completed submissions that respond to the category criteria. They may have also included supporting documentation.

Your role as a judge is to score each Excellence Awardee. The nominee with the highest score in each category will be the overall Winner.

The Excellence Awardees were announced on 28 January 2025: https://keymediaawards.com/nzmortgageawards/2025-excellence-awardees

Overall winners will be announced at a cocktail party on the 10^th of April at the Auckland War Memorial Museum.

Please note that the information contained within these submissions, including the list of Excellence Awardees, is strictly confidential.

If you feel there is a conflict of interest, we ask that you do not judge those categories and inform us ASAP. We appreciate your discretion.

Judging Instructions

All scoring will be completed online through our judging portal.

You have received a link to the above portal via email. You will only have access to those categories in which you have been allocated.

Please submit your completed scores via the portal by Friday 7 March. We kindly ask that you adhere to this date.

How to score

Login using the link provided in your email
Once you are logged in, you will be taken to the home page. Please click “My Judging Assignments” on the side menu and you should then be able to see a list of all the categories that have been allocated to you for review.

You can either “View All Categories” or view a specific category by clicking “Open” next to each category/award name under the Action column.

Once you have clicked through your chosen category, you can now access each submission by clicking “View Nomination” where you will then be invited to place your score.

On the left hand side of the screen, you can go through each element of the submission by clicking through the Nominee Information, Additional Information and Nomination Submission tabs.

On the right hand side of the screen is where you will place your score.

Individual and Company Awards

Please score each submission out of 10 where 1 is the lowest score and 10 is the highest score. The excellence awardee that receives the highest aggregate score will win that category.

You will also be asked to provide a one sentence reason for the score you have given.

Please ensure to save your scores once finalised.

Individual Categories

Pepper Money Adviser of the Year – Residential

This award recognises the best adviser in a residential business. Advisers may nominate themselves and the awards team will also consider input from aggregators and brokerages. Extra weight will be placed on nominations that come from those in a position to assess an adviser’s performance objectively. Based on performance over the past 12 months – October 2023 – October 2024. Nominees will be invited to provide supporting documentation for submission to the judging panel. When judging this category, the following criteria will be considered:

loan volumes
year over year growth
lead generation
client retention
quality of submissions
conversion rates
overall customer service

Avanti Finance Adviser of the Year – Specialist Lending

This award recognises the best adviser that provides specialist lending as part of their overall offering. Based on performance over the past 12 months – October 2023 – October 2024. Advisers may nominate themselves and the awards team will also consider input from specialist lenders. Considerable weight will be placed on nominations from those in a position to assess an adviser’s performance objectively. Nominees will be invited to provide supporting documentation for submission to the awards judging panel.

When judging this category, the following criteria will be considered:

loan volumes
year over year growth
lead generation
client retention
quality of submissions
conversion rates
overall customer service

Xceda Adviser of the Year – Regional

This award recognises the best mortgage adviser based in and deriving the majority of their income from a regional area (outside of major cities). Based on performance over the past 12 months – October 2023 – October 2024. Advisers may nominate themselves and the NZMA team will also consider input from banks and brokerages. Extra weight will be placed on nominations that come from those in a position to assess a adviser’s performance objectively.

Excellence Awardees will be invited to provide supporting documentation for submission to the NZMA judging panel.

When judging this category, the following criteria will be considered:

loan volumes
year over year growth
lead generation
client retention
quality of submissions
conversion rates
overall customer service

Commercial Mortgage Adviser

The category will assess volume of submissions supported, attention to detail, knowledge of products, bank systems, and loan processes as well as customer service capabilities. Based on performance over the past 12 months – October 2023 – October 2024.

First Mortgage Trust New Adviser of the Year

The New Adviser award recognises tomorrow’s leader – the professional who will play an integral role in the development of broking in the years ahead. The new adviser will be entrepreneurial, highlight unique thought leadership, show success in their current business/role, and reveal how they have already made a difference to the broking profession within their past five years of full-time operation (joining the industry on or after October 2019).

Link Financial Group Best Bank BDM

This award recognises the best bank BDM. BDMs may nominate themselves and the NZMA team will also review nominations from aggregation groups. Considerable weight will be placed on nominations that come directly from the broking community.

Nominations should include supporting documentation.

When judging this category, the following criteria will be considered over the past 12 months – October 2023 – October 2024:

nominee’s accessibility and communication
demonstrated understanding of their advisers’ businesses
nominee’s product knowledge
how the BDM adds value to the brand he/she represents and the adviser channel

NZFSG Best Non-Bank BDM

This award recognises the best non-bank BDM. BDMs may nominate themselves and the NZMA team will also review nominations from aggregation groups. Considerable weight will be placed on nominations that come directly from the broking community.

Nominations should include supporting documentation.

When judging this category, the following criteria will be considered over the past 12 months – October 2023 – October 2024:

Bizcap Best Aggregator BDM

This award recognises the best aggregator BDM. BDMs may nominate themselves and the NZMA team will also review nominations from aggregation groups. Considerable weight will be placed on nominations that come directly from the adviser community. Judged on performance over the past 12 months – October 2023 – October 2024.

Nominees will be invited to provide supporting documentation for submission to the NZMA judging panel.

When judging this category, the following criteria will be considered over the past 12 months – October 2023 – October 2024:

nominee’s accessibility and communication
demonstrated understanding of their brokers’ businesses
nominee’s product knowledge
how the BDM adds value to the brand he/she represents and the adviser channel

Innovator of the Year

This award highlights the brokerage or aggregator that has developed and capitalised on innovation, whether it’s related to product, service, business development processes, technology, staff/client management, or any other relevant area. Based on performance over the past 12 months – October 2023 – October 2024.

Loan Administrator of the Year

This award recognises the loan administrator who has most effectively supported the adviser or business for which they work. Based on performance over the past 12 months – October 2023 – October 2024.

Company Categories

Basecorp Finance Best Customer Service of an Individual Office

Customer service is an incredibly important measure of any brokerage operation’s long-term sustainability and success. This award recognises the brokerage office or branch that has displayed excellence over the past 12 months (October 2023 – October 2024) in maintaining consistent and sustainable customer service standards.

Finalists will be invited to provide supporting documentation for submission to the NZMA judging panel.

When judging this category, the following criteria will be considered:

product knowledge
product offering
client retention
customer service proposition
the business’ value proposition and strategy around stakeholder engagement

Kiwi Adviser Network Brokerage of the Year (1-5 Staff)

This award recognises the best brokerage operation with 1-5 staff (or full-time equivalents). The number of staff includes all loan writers and support staff across all company offices/branches. Based on performance over the past 12 months – October 2023 – October 2024. Nominations should include client feedback, community-based work or aggregator/lender testimonials.

When judging this category, the following criteria will be considered from the overall business perspective:

loan volumes
year over year growth
lead generation
client retention
quality of submissions
conversion rates
customer service proposition
the business’ value proposition and strategy around stakeholder engagement
adviser training and development

Prospa Brokerage of the Year – 6+ staff

This award recognises the best brokerage operation with 6+ staff (or full-time equivalents). The number of staff includes all loan writers and support staff across all company offices/branches. Nominations should include client feedback, community-based work or aggregator/lender testimonials. Based on performance over the past 12 months – October 2023 – October 2024.

When judging this category, the following criteria will be considered from the overall business perspective:

Finsure New Zealand New Brokerage of the Year

This award recognises the best brokerage office or branch that has been in operation for less than two years. Advisers may nominate their own businesses, and our researchers will also contact aggregator groups and major franchises to submit details of their standout performers. Based on performance over the past 12 months – October 2023 – October 2024.

Finalists will be invited to provide extra submissions for the NZMA judging panel such as client feedback, community-based work or aggregator/lender testimonials.

When judging this category, the following criteria will be considered from the overall business perspective:

Finbase Lender of the Year (Major/Non-Major Bank)

This award recognises the best bank in the mortgage industry based on performance over the past 12 months (October 2023 – October 2024). Lenders will be invited to provide both quantitative and qualitative evidence to support their nomination.

When judging this category the following criteria will be considered:

business achievements in the third party distribution channel including but not limited to service levels, turnaround times, product ranges e.g. residential, commercial, and pricing
year over year growth and market share in the third party distribution channel
service innovations including but not limited to technology, adviser communications, training and development
overall support of and contribution to the third party distribution channel
demonstration of positive impact on the wider community

Non-Bank Lender of the Year

This award recognises the best non-bank lender in the mortgage industry based on performance over the past 12 months – October 2023 – October 2024. Lenders will be invited to provide both quantitative and qualitative evidence to support their nomination.

When judging this category the following criteria will be considered:

Regional Brokerage of the Year

This award recognises the best brokerage operation based in a regional area (outside of major capital cities). Based on performance over the past 12 months – October 2023 – October 2024. Nominees will be invited to provide extra submissions for the judging panel such as client feedback, community-based work or aggregator/lender testimonials.

When judging this category, the following criteria will be considered from the overall business perspective:

FAMNZ Aggregator of the Year

Open to aggregators of all sizes with offices in New Zealand. (excludes sub-aggregators). Judged on performance over the past 12 months (October 2023 – October 2024).
Aggregators are the most important link between advisers and lenders. This award recognises the best aggregator.

When judging this category, the following criteria will be considered:

accuracy and timeliness in commission payment
quality of lending panel, IT and CRM support
adviser communication
BDM support
compliance support, training and education
lead generation

Thank you again for your support of the New Zealand Mortgage Awards 2025. We hope you enjoy reading the submissions.

Please don’t hesitate to contact Bianca Tan should you require further information.

Contact:

W: https://keymediaawards.com/nzmortgageawards/

E: [email protected]

T: +61 2 8437 4730