Top lenders and industry professionals also honoured in annual event in Sydney
A handful of mortgage and finance professionals across New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory have been recognised at the 2026 Mortgage & Finance Association of Australia (MFAA) Excellence Awards held at Sofitel Wentworth in Sydney on Thursday.
The results were determined through an independent judging process, with all outcomes verified by Hall Chadwick.
Now in their 23rd year, the MFAA Excellence Awards are among the industry's most established recognition programs.
"The New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory finalists and winners reflect the high standards, professionalism and adaptability that continue to define the broker channel," said MFAA chief executive Anja Pannek (pictured right).
"In a lending environment that continues to evolve, brokers play an increasingly important role helping clients navigate complexity and make informed financial decisions with confidence."
"The quality of submissions this year highlighted the depth of expertise and commitment across the New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory broking community, particularly in delivering strong client outcomes and trusted guidance."
Individual honours
Ten individual awards were presented across broking, business development, loan administration and emerging talent categories.
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| BDM – Aggregator | Edison Xie AFG |
| BDM – Lender & Support Service Provider | Bella Minns Deposit Power |
| Commercial & Equipment Finance Broker | Michael Fazzolari Medx Finance |
| Community Champion | Louisa Sanghera Zippy Financial |
| Customer Service – Individual | Louisa Sanghera Zippy Financial |
| Loan Administrator | John Pastega Australian Finance Hub |
| Newcomer | Nikhil Goyal Finance for Tomorrow |
| Regional Finance Broker | Kirsty Mckinnon Flair Finance |
| Residential Finance Broker | Katie Thomas Focus Finance |
| Young Professional | Michaela Shaw MoneyQuest Penrith & Blue Mountains |
Business and lender awards
Eight awards were presented across business and lender categories.
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Business | |
| Customer Service – Business | Azura Financial |
| Diversified Business | Front Financial |
| Finance Broker Business | Azura Financial |
| Lenders | |
| Major Lender | Macquarie Bank |
| Non-Major Lender | Bankwest |
| Specialty Lender | Pepper Money |
| Mutual/Credit Union Lender | Teachers Mutual Bank Limited |
| Fintech Lender | Bridgit |
State winners progress to national finals
The NSW and ACT ceremony is part of a nationwide series of state events. The South Australia and Northern Territory winners were recognised at Adelaide Oval on 28 May, while the Victorian/Tasmanian ceremony was held at The Ritz-Carlton Melbourne on 4 June. The Western Australian event took place at Crown Perth on 11 June, while the Queensland awards were given at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on 18 June.
All state-level winners automatically progress as national finalists, with the MFAA National Excellence Awards 2026 scheduled for 22 July at Crown Melbourne.
View the full list of finalists and winners on the 2026 MFAA Excellence Awards website.
For more of the mortgage and finance industry's top performers, visit Mortgage Professional Australia's best in mortgage section.
