The Commercial & Asset Finance Brokers Association of Australia (CAFBA) has announced the winners of its prestigious National Broker and Financier Awards for 2024.
The awards, which were held at The Ritz-Carlton in Melbourne last Thursday, celebrate exceptional performance, innovation, and dedication within the commercial and asset finance industry.
In a LinkedIn post, CAFBA – the professional association of commercial and asset finance brokers in Australia – thanked its platinum sponsor Commonwealth Bank along with its gold sponsors BOQ Finance, flexi-commercial Australia, Metro Finance, and Westpac.
With the event highly anticipated, Shubham Bhaskar (pictured above left) from Sheel Capital in Victoria was already elated with just being nominated for the Rising Star award.
“This recognition is a huge honour and a testament to the incredible work I’ve been able to do with Australian SMEs,” Bhaskar said before the event.
“Over the past three years, I’ve had the privilege of assisting:
Fortunately, his celebrations didn’t end there, with Bhaskar taking home the Rising Star - Commercial Finance Broker of the Year.
“My passion for business and my commitment to supporting the growth of Australian small businesses have been driving forces behind what we do at Sheel Capital,” he said.
Another industry leader honoured on the night was Sammi Haines (pictured above right) from Coastal Finance in Tasmania, who won the Women in Finance Excellence Award.
Although women make up only around 25% of brokers in Australia, Haines said she was proud to be part of this “growing community” and excited to see more women stepping into leadership roles.
“Your guidance has been invaluable, and I’m forever thankful for the wisdom and encouragement you’ve given me,” Haines said.
“With the help of the strong women in my team, I’ve been able to grow a company built on empathy, understanding, and integrity. Together with my team, we’re committed to making a difference in our industry and empowering more women in finance.”
See LinkedIn post here.
It was also a big night for LMG, whose respective asset finance and commercial finance teams took out their categories among tough competition.
The aggregator’s asset finance division said the award was “a testament to the hard work and dedication of the team”.
“Watch this space, there’s a lot more to come from us in the Asset Finance world.”
Major lender NAB commented on the “fantastic night”, which allowed a platform to connect with broking and industry partners and “celebrate the value of the broking industry”.
“A special shout out to our very own Kerry Smith, who was awarded BDM of the Year (QLD) - Commercial Finance, and to the broader NAB Broker team for being named Credit and Settlements Team of the Year – Commercial Finance,” NAB Broker said.
With the National Broker and Financier Awards done and dusted, the celebrations are set to continue at the Australian Mortgage Awards in October – although tickets are selling fast.
Broker Category
Rising Star - Asset Finance Broker of the Year
Alex Downes - QPF
Rising Star - Commercial Finance Broker of the Year
Shubham Bhaskar - Sheel Capital
Commercial Finance Broker Firm of the Year - Less than 5 Business Writers
Invictus Finance
Asset Finance Broker Firm of the Year - Less than 5 Business Writers
Asa Finance Group
David Gandolfo Award - Broker of the Year (Commercial & Asset Finance Broker)
Jake Girke - Access Capital
Terry Moody Award - Broker Firm of the Year (Commercial & Asset Finance Firm)
Quantum Business Finance
Finance Category
Financier of the Year - Asset Finance
Westpac Group
Financier of the Year - Commercial Finance
Commonwealth Bank
Credit & Settlements Team of the Year - Asset Finance
Flexicommercial
Credit & Settlements Team of the Year - Commercial Finance
National Australia Bank
BDM of the Year - Asset Finance
QLD
Alan Comer - Westpac
NSW
Amanda Mowbray - Metro Finance
VIC
Kartina Thompson - BOQ
SA
Caleb Grigg - Westpac
WA
Jenny Whelan - Westpac
BDM of the Year - Commercial Finance
QLD
Kerry Smith - NAB
NSW
Andrew Barton - ANZ
VIC
David Finau - ANZ
SA
Mark Kerin - CBA
WA
Ryan Windell - Westpac
Additional Awards
Aggregator of the Year - Asset Finance
LMG Asset Finance
Aggregator of the Year - Commercial Finance
LMG Commercial
Women in Finance Excellence Award
Sammi Haines - Coastal Finance
