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FAMNZ v FANZ; New association appoints old hand

Australian mortgage adviser association sets up shop in New Zealand with a name very similar to FANZ and its new country head is an ex-FANZ staffer.

The newly formed Finance and Mortgage Advisers Association of New Zealand (FAMNZ) has appointed Leigh Hodgetts as its country manager.

Hodgetts worked as Professional Development, Standards and Policy Manager at Financial Advice NZ (FANZ) in two years ago and has also hard roles ant  Astute Financial Management NZ, ANZ, BNZ and Kiwi Adviser Network. She also spent time with the Financial Markets Authority as manager, retail operations.

FAMNZ is the New Zealand arm of the Finance Brokers Association of Australia. FBAA managing director Peter White said the appointment of Ms Hodgetts was “testimony to the positive way FAMNZ is being viewed across the nation and also highlights the standard we want to set within the sector.

“We are here to represent mortgage advisers better than ever before by expanding the market share for advisers, increasing professionalism and lifting standards,” he declared.

He said the association, established by Australia’s leading industry body, the Finance Brokers Association of Australia, recognised that Kiwi borrowers needed greater choice and service.

“Our message to consumers is that only advisers provide a greater choice of lenders and products, and most importantly only advisers are industry professionals obliged by regulation to act in the best interests of the borrower.

“A lender can only offer you the choice of their own products.”

Hodgett said she will immediately be providing members with access to high quality professional development and educational initiatives.

“Advisers have never received the education, support and benefits that FAMNZ will provide, because we are a committed association by advisers for advisers.”

She said the association has already started engagement with regulators and has commenced discussions around clawbacks and other issues that are important to advisers.

“I will be talking to advisers, aggregators and other industry professionals to hear their concerns and to do whatever it takes to lift the market share for advisers,” she said.

White said the birth of FAMNZ is, “a big deal for mortgage advisers and a huge deal for Kiwi consumers. Welcome to a new world.”

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