The Adviser Podcast Network

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia is Australia's largest lender but has the smallest proportion of new broker flows of the major banks. But why? And what is the bank's broker strategy?

In this episode of In Focus, sponsored by CBA, we speak with the general manager of third-party banking, Baber Zaka, to explore CBA's broker strategy and their plans for growth in the channel.

Tune in to find out:

• How CBA is working to strengthen relationships with brokers.
• How the bank is changing its broker offering.
• CBA's investment in technology and support for brokers.

And much more!

Scaling a high-performing business without sacrificing personal life is notoriously difficult, but the key might be ensuring you stay true to your core values.

In this episode of Elite Broker, host Annie Kane sits down with Aaron Christie-David, broker director of Atelier Wealth, to discuss how he's built a successful brokerage with his wife Bernadette and how they've adapted business growth as their family has grown.

Tune in to find out:

• How he's navigated aggressive business growth with personal wellbeing and family priorities.
• The strategies behind their successful pivot to a niche in property investment and wealth creation.
• Why he believes a broker's role extends beyond loans.

And much more!

Related links:

• A husband and wife team on why brokers need more education
• How the Best Residential Broker 2017 made it to the top
• Jeremy Fisher charts his journey from novice to number one

Welcome to The Adviser's What's Making Headlines podcast, your go-to source for the week's biggest stories in finance and real estate, distilled into bite-sized insights.

Join host Annie Kane, senior journalist Will Paige, and commercial content writer Ben Squires as they review the news of the week.

This week, they discuss:

• All the fallout from the RBA's latest interest rate decision.
• The broking industry hits back at a controversial column.
• Treasurer Jim Chalmers' response to LRBA speculation.

And much more!

Chris Bates took out the top spot in The Adviser's residential Elite Broker ranking 2024, having settled $329 million across 412 loans in the financial year.

In this episode of Elite Broker, host Annie Kane sits down with the CEO and broker principal of Alcove to find out how he's built an efficient brokerage.

Tune in to find out:

• How he structures his team for optimal efficiency.
• How he navigated rebranding his brokerage.
• Why he believes the role of brokers is evolving.

And much more!

Welcome to The Adviser's What's Making Headlines podcast, your go-to source for the week's biggest stories in finance and real estate, distilled into bite-sized insights.

Join host Annie Kane, senior journalist Will Paige, and commercial content writer Ben Squires as they review the news of the week.

This week, they discuss:

• The new political leaders in Australia.
• Alexis George's defence of AMP's 10-year IO loan.
• Flint's expansion following a new merger.

And much more!

Aussie is one of the most recognisable brands in broking but recently underwent a brand evolution. Here, we find out how and why the brokerage is helping Australians Find.Buy.Own property.

In this episode of In Focus, we sit down with Brad Cramb, CEO of distribution at Lendi Group, to unpack how and why the household brand is evolving.

Tune in to find out:

• Why Aussie is moving to become a property ecosystem.
• How the evolution streamlines the property journey for Australians.
• The new services and support available to its brokers.

And much more!

After a diverse career, including working on a blast crew in Western Australia, Sam McDonald made the move into commercial broking and hasn't looked back since.

In this episode of New Broker, host Annie Kane finds out how the Atlas Broker has navigated from blasting to broking to put commercial finance broking on the map.

Tune in to find out:

• His strategies for building strong relationships with accountants and equipment suppliers.
• Insights into the intricacies of structuring complex equipment finance deals.
• The current challenges and opportunities within the commercial finance industry.

And much more!

Welcome to The Adviser's What's Making Headlines podcast, your go-to source for the week's biggest stories in finance and real estate, distilled into bite-sized insights.

Join host Annie Kane, senior journalist Will Paige, and commercial content writer Ben Squires as they review the news of the week.

This week, they discuss:

• The diverging broker flows at the major banks.
• The reasons why aggregators drop lenders.
• A groundswell in broker tech.

And much more!

Non-bank lenders form an increasingly important part of the mortgage market, particularly when it comes to servicing clients with specialist finance needs, such as the self-employed.

In this episode of In Focus, we sit down with Tony MacRae, chief commercial officer of Bluestone Home Loans, to unpack the current lending market and discuss how brokers can grow their business by supporting clients who have specialist finance needs.

Tune in to find out:

• The growing importance of specialist lenders in Australia.
• Scenarios that require an open-minded approach.
• How Bluestone Home Loans assesses income differently.

And much more!

After two decades in IT, Arnab Baral made the leap into broking to transform the client experience, but he's still harnessing his obsession with tech to escalate his brokerage.

In this episode of Elite Broker, host Annie Kane speaks with Arnab Baral – CEO and managing director of Cinch Loans and recipient of the Editor's Choice Award Vic/TAS at the 2025 Better Business Awards – to find out how he's building Cinch Loans with technology, the principles that guide his team, and the lessons new brokers need to hear.

Tune in to hear:

• Why he left tech to start a career in broking.
• The tools and tech he uses to scale his business (without losing human touch).
• Why "start slow, but start deep" is his top advice for new brokers.

And much more!