Categories and Criteria
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Individual Categories
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 – August 2024 – August 2025.
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 – August 2024 – August 2025.
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 2020).
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 – August 2024 – August 2025.
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 – August 2024 – August 2025. 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
This award recognises the best adviser that provides specialist lending as part of their overall offering. Based on performance over the past 12 months – August 2024 – August 2025. 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
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 – August 2024 – August 2025. 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
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 – August 2024 – August 2025:
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
This award recognises the best specialist lender 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 – August 2024 – August 2025:
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
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 – August 2024 – August 2025.
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 – August 2024 – August 2025:
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
This award recognises and celebrates a leading figure who has contributed much to the advancement of the mortgage industry in New Zealand.
Though there are no defined parameters, this award will acknowledge someone with an established history and reputation of distinguished service to the mortgage industry and who has exhibited leadership and provided inspiration to others in the sector and own workplace, whilst putting the interests of the industry at the top of their priorities throughout their career.
There are no finalists/excellence awardees for this category. Nominations will be evaluated by the shortlisting team. The recipient of this award will be contacted before the awards event and will be revealed at the New Zealand Mortgage Awards.
Company Categories
This award recognises the best bank in the mortgage industry based on performance over the past 12 months (August 2024 – August 2025). 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
This award recognises the best specialist lender in the mortgage industry based on performance over the past 12 months – August 2024 – August 2025. 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
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 – August 2024 – August 2025. 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:
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
broker training and development
This award recognises the brokerage that has implemented the most effective diversification business model. Nominations are open to all independent and franchise brokerages, regardless of whether the business is a small operation providing a compact diversification offering or a larger business that has a range of specialists (financial planners, accountants, mortgage brokers) all operating under one brand. Judged on performance over the past 12 months.
When judging this category, the following criteria will be considered from an overall business perspective:
- products and services offered
- year over year growth
- how the diversification offering has impacted on business growth over the past 12 months
- customer service proposition
- the business’ value proposition and strategy around stakeholder engagement
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 – August 2024 – August 2025. 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
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 – August 2024 – August 2025.
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
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 – August 2024 – August 2025.
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:
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
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 (August 2024 – August 2025) 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
Open to aggregators of all sizes with offices in New Zealand. (excludes sub-aggregators). Judged on performance over the past 12 months (August 2024 – August 2025).
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
National Category
This award recognises the most outstanding adviser in New Zealand. The excellence awardees in this category comprise the winners of the individual adviser categories
– Commercial Mortgage Adviser
– Adviser of the Year – Residential
– Adviser of the Year – Specialist Lending
– Adviser of the Year – Regional
This category is not open for nominations. Excellence awardees will be announced on the night.
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