Stamford Capital named LMG's Best Commercial Brokerage second year running

Australia’s largest mortgage aggregator, LMG, reflected on a blockbuster year for the broking industry with a lavish national awards ceremony held at Melbourne’s Crown Palladium on Tuesday night.

The 2026 LMG Awards showcased brokers, businesses and support teams from across the aggregator’s national network. It was held alongside the 2026 LMG Growth Summit, which took place at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre between 2-4 March.

It followed a record-setting time for mortgage activity, with recent LMG data revealing that lodgements rose by 12% quarter on quarter during the final three months of 2025. LMG enjoyed its all-time strongest month of lodgements in December 2025.

LMG executive director and chief executive Ewen Stafford praised the calibre of entries in the awards program’s second year. More than 900 nominations were received across 24 awards categories.

Among the winners was Perth-based brokerage Westminster National, led by directors Justin Bird and Troy Tavani, which won the hotly contested Diversified Business of the Year award. Westminster National’s diversified model underpinned a 44% year-on-year increase in settlements in 2025.

“Clients don’t just want a loan anymore. They want a broker who understands their whole picture, their business, their assets, their long-term plans,” said Stafford.

“We’re seeing our top businesses expand beyond residential into asset and commercial lending faster than ever before.

“Some are building that capability in-house using our technology and training. Others are partnering with specialists.”

On the residential side, Sydney broker Michael Xia took out one of the evening’s top individual honours, named Residential Broker of the Year. His firm, Mortgage Channel, also secured Residential Business of the Year (fewer than five brokers), underlining its performance in a highly competitive field.

The Lending Association, with its multi-state footprint, was awarded Residential Brokerage Group of the Year (more than 10 brokers) for the second consecutive year, reinforcing its consistency at scale.

Stamford Capital Australia, headed by executive director Billy Moskovich (pictured), was named Commercial Finance Brokerage of the Year for the second year on the bounce, while Magnolia Lane Financial Services was named Asset Finance Brokerage of the Year.

“These businesses are raising the bar,” Stafford said. “They’re disciplined. They’re building consistent pipelines. And they’re earning repeat business because clients trust them. That doesn’t happen by chance. It’s capability, it’s systems, and it’s care.”

The full list of winners is as follows:

Individual categories

• Customer Choice Award: Adam D'Aloia – Loan Market Payneham

• Community Ambassador of the Year: Chris Christofi – Reventon

• Literacy Advocate of the Year: Scott Baker – Toast Finance

• Client Service Manager of the Year (NSW/ACT): Shane Mott – Loan Market Richmond

• Client Service Manager of the Year (QLD): Karen Crosbie – Loan Market LMS

• Client Service Manager of the Year (SA/NT): Adam Brown – Loan Market Payneham

• Client Service Manager of the Year (VIC/TAS): Eliza Smart – Up Loans

• Client Service Manager of the Year (VIC/TAS): Stella Carson – Loan Market Razor

• Client Service Manager of the Year (WA): Susan Tippett – The Loan Company

• Operations Manager of the Year: Kellan Elder – IFA Mortgages & Finance

• Best New Broker of the Year: Janaka Dissanayake – Loan Market Janaka Dissanayake

• Best New Broker of the Year: Maddie Walton – Money Lounge

• Young Business Owner of the Year: Andy Andrews – Capital One Financial Services

• Leader of the Year: Michael Tait – HT Capital

• Asset Finance Broker of the Year: Jason Smyth - Smyth Financial

• Commercial Finance Broker of the Year: Rick Woelms – HTL Capital

• Residential Broker of the Year: Michael Xia – Mortgage Channel

Business categories

• Asset Finance Brokerage of the Year: Angus Askew – Magnolia Lane Financial Services

• Commercial Finance Brokerage of the Year: Domenic Lo Surdo – Stamford Capital Australia

• Enterprise Partner of the Year: Sean Reid – Money Quest Group

• Country Business of the Year: Jaime Savory – Gippsland Finance Solutions

• Regional Business of the Year: Phil Rogers – Loan Market Edge

• Residential Brokerage Group (<5 brokers): Michael Xia – Mortgage Channel

• Residential Brokerage Group (5-10 brokers): Paul Hixon – Loan Market New Farm

• Residential Brokerage Group (10+ brokers): Bill Constantinidis / Steve Bourne – Lending Association

• Diversified Business of the Year: Justin Bird – Westminster National

“They've done remarkably well,” said LMG executive chairman Sam White of the winners and nominees. “They've worked hard and it's wonderful to be able to recognise that. I know they don't do what they do for awards, but it is a great chance just to reflect and just to say congratulations and well done.

White reflected on brokers’ ability to act as role models for the younger generations attended these awards nights. “I think that's what's exciting,” he said.

Mentorship will become increasingly important amid mounting challenges in the broker industry.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) is launching a review of the best interests duty (BID) and home loan fraud is emerging as a major issue for the financial industry.

“And of course, AI is going to change the world and we want to make sure that the broker is on the front foot of that,” added White. He believes LMG is well placed to help brokers safeguard their businesses against this multitude of threats.