Over 800 attendees, including mortgage and insurance advisers, support staff, business partners, and lender representatives from across New Zealand and Australia, gathered in Christchurch for the Loan Market network’s annual Scale Up conference. The three-day summit marked a historic milestone for the group, representing the first time the annual Trans-Tasman conference has been hosted on New Zealand soil. The event brought together global icons, political leaders, and industry heavyweights to address business growth, tech innovation, marketing, and the future of financial advice across both sides of the ditch.
National Director of Loan Market NZ Nicole Ferguson reflected on the broader shifts in the financial advice landscape, highlighting the record surge in adviser market share, with mortgage advisers now writing nearly 70% of home loans across the country. Ferguson also celebrated Loan Market NZ’s strong focus on delivering exceptional customer outcomes, evidenced by a market-leading Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 98+ across a whopping 13,319 5-star Google reviews in New Zealand.
“With mortgage advisers now writing nearly 70% of home loans across New Zealand, Kiwis are turning to advisers more than ever before to navigate their options,” Ferguson said. “While that shift demonstrates the huge trust consumers place in our industry, staying at the forefront requires constant evolution. Our focus now is on helping our adviser businesses diversify so they can support Kiwi clients for life, end-to-end financial total client care. Hosting 800 attendees from across Australia and New Zealand right here in Christchurch gives our entire network immense energy and momentum for the future.”
Addressing the wider economic environment affecting businesses across Australasia, Loan Market Executive Chairman Sam White acknowledged current market challenges while emphasising the massive upside available to proactive advisers.
“We’ve been through markets where new application numbers are down. We’ve been through that,” White said. “But when people are talking about the market dropping, the reality is there is still a bucket load of opportunity out there. Your clients and referrers need you more than ever. They want someone who can bring energy and help them make it happen. How do you add value as an adviser that clients can’t get from AI? Advisers will win by bringing more genuine humanity into the process with their customers, simply by picking up the phone and seeing them face to face”.
The conference featured high-profile keynotes focused on leadership, resilience, and navigating economic shifts at the highest level. Former New Zealand Prime Minister Rt Hon Sir John Key (GNZM AC) addressed delegates on what it takes to drive business growth when the stakes are highest, offering a candid look at economic cycles and consumer psychology. Sir John noted that when property prices drop, consumers naturally feel less financially secure driving rapid shifts in confidence, stressing that the rapid rise of new technologies requires businesses to be nimble. He emphasised that the businesses that win will be those that adapt quickly to economic shifts while maintaining their humanity and core relationships.
In an exclusive fireside chat with Sam White, former All Blacks captain Richie McCaw shared hard-won lessons on performing under extreme pressure, recovering from major setbacks, and sustaining success over the long term. McCaw reflected that the path to your first big goal can be relatively straightforward, but sustaining success is another beast entirely, noting that the real ambition isn’t just being the team in the moment, but being the team of the era. Performance Coach Nerolie Curran further expanded on high-performance mindsets, drawing on her experience with Formula 1 and the All Blacks to demonstrate how 1% daily marginal improvements compound into market-leading results.
Ray White Joint Chairman Carey Smith and Managing Director Dan White brought decades of real estate experience to the stage, unpacking how businesses can gain ground during market downturns. Dan White highlighted that if the industry is challenged, businesses have a better opportunity to stand out, noting that there are no silver bullets in business, only lead bullets, and it comes down to sticking with what works and doing it exceptionally well. Carey Smith reinforced the power of brand discipline and consistency through market fluctuations, sharing that because the economy today can change overnight, the best-prepared person in the room will always win the business.
Technology, AI and future-proofing were central themes throughout the three days. Chief Commercial & Transformation Officer Tim Andrew provided a sneak preview into Loan Market’s digital direction to navigate evolving technology and user-experience expectations. Andrew spoke about the changing ways consumers seek and consume knowledge, and how advisers can ensure they remain visible and heard in an evolving digital landscape. “Periods of disruption mean a need for change and with it opportunities to adapt and improve,” Andrew said. Highlighting that visitors arriving through AI search tools convert 4.4 times more effectively than traditional organic web traffic, he outlined the network’s plan to lead the way in the future of search.
Executive Data & Technology Whitney Cali and Chief Information Officer Jason Furnell unveiled Loan Market’s broader digital and tech innovation roadmap, running delegates through new workflow apps, system integrations and smart tools designed to streamline daily business processes. Cali showcased major updates to the group’s technology platform, MyCRM, including rapid expansion of MyCRM Intelligence. Key features highlighted included MyQuality Assurance, functioning as a 24/7 compliance coach, MyDataAnalyst to help advisers unpack business data while guaranteeing that data never leaves the MyCRM ecosystem.
Furnell detailed practical tools to give advisers time back in their day, including new voice-to-notes capabilities on the go, and new open architecture enabling third-party providers to talk directly with MyCRM for seamless integrations. Furnell also presented Loan Market’s suite of new mobile applications, announcing that a dedicated app for advisers is now live, with additional client and referral partner apps both currently in pilot testing. “The apps are making it easier for advisers to manage their business on the go and strengthen their relationships with referral partners,” Furnell said.
On the second evening, the network gathered for the prestigious Loan Market International Awards, celebrating excellence in customer outcomes and service across the entire Trans-Tasman network, before capping off the conference on the third night with a themed wrap-up celebration.
About Loan Market
Loan Market is one of Australasia’s largest mortgage advising networks, supporting hundreds of advisers across New Zealand and Australia. Family-owned and adviser-focused, Loan Market is dedicated to helping everyday clients achieve their property and financial goals through trusted, personalised advice.
