Vasta joins the bridging finance lender as NSW state manager, bringing two decades of broker distribution experience
Bridgit has appointed Alf Vasta as its New South Wales (NSW) state manager, strengthening the sales leadership of the non-bank lender as it consolidates its position in the bridging finance market.
The move sees Vasta take charge of the NSW BDM team and the lender's relationships across the broker and aggregator network.
Vasta brings 26 years of industry experience to the role, most recently as a business development manager at Liberty Financial, and before that as head of broker distribution at MoneyPlace.
"I'm thrilled to be joining Aaron, David and the rest of the team at Bridgit," Vasta said of the move, referring to Bridgit co-founder and chief executive officer Aaron Bassin and chief operating officer David McQueen. "For quite some time now, I've been watching Bridgit grow and establish itself as a leader in bridging finance within the industry and the broker community. The NSW team is strong, and I'm looking forward to ensuring we continue to provide industry-leading service."
McQueen said Vasta's reputation in the broker market made him the right leader for Bridgit's NSW growth plans. "Alf is exactly the calibre of leader we want at Bridgit as we grow in NSW," McQueen said. "His reputation in the broker market speaks for itself. We're thrilled to have him leading our NSW team, and I've no doubt he'll bring real energy and belief to the business."
MPA sat down with Vasta to find out more about his career, his approach to broker support, and what he'd change about the mortgage and finance industry.
- Full name: Alf Vasta
- Job title: NSW state manager
- Company: Bridgit
- Number of years in the industry: 26
- Location: New South Wales
When and how did you join the finance industry?
I started in the broker space joining Homeside Lending in May 2000. Before that, I'd been working in a Commonwealth Bank branch, but was looking for something a bit more challenging. I had a mate who worked at Homeside Lending at the time and said it was a great place to be, so I made the move and loved it.
What does your current role involve?
My role is multi-faceted – I'll be leading the NSW/ACT broker distribution team in supporting and growing the Bridgit brand in those markets, whilst providing solutions to our broker partners. Most importantly, I coach and support my team in providing the very best support to our broker partners in achieving their goals.
How do you assist brokers to grow their business?
Education is at the forefront of everything we do. As the industry leader in bridging finance, we bring our brokers the solutions and knowledge they need to succeed. My team and I work closely with our brokers on their individual businesses, helping them grow and expand their network of professional referrers.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
I really love engaging with our broker partners, especially when that lightbulb moment of what we do really resonates for them and their clients. As well as seeing the positive impact my team has in creating new market opportunities for our partners in achieving their goals for both themselves and their clients.
What's the most important advice you can offer to a new-to-industry broker?
Firstly, I would say congratulations on being so brave and joining our amazing industry! The advice I would give is not to be afraid of diversifying into different sectors early on and focus on solution-based lending and not solely on price.
How important is broker feedback in ensuring you provide the best service?
It is really important to get live feedback from our broker partners, as it allows us to improve on our offering, which ultimately provides the best outcome for them and their clients.
What makes a great state manager?
A great state manager is someone who supports their team of BDMs in providing the best outcomes for our broker partners. They also should be developing and coaching their BDMs to be the best version of themselves. Lucky last, it is also important that a state manager is accessible to broker partners.
If there's one thing you could change about the industry, what would it be?
Clawback – I certainly think this is something that the industry as a whole should tackle. Thankfully, at Bridgit we don't have clawbacks but do know this is the most common pain point for our brokers.
Describe your ideal weekend
I'm a very social person, so anything that involves being with family and friends indoors or outdoors works for me! On the rare occasion the Wests Tigers have a win, it certainly cheers me up! The reality is, I have a four-year-old daughter, so our weekends start with an early Saturday morning swimming lesson and then the various parks or playgrounds she's decided we're exploring that day.
