Events

Uncover a new world of opportunity at the New Broker Academy 2025
If you’re ready for a career change and are looking for a rewarding and flexible role, mortgage and finance broking could just be the opportunity you’ve been waiting for.

In the past 12 months, demand for broker services has hit a record high, with 76 per cent of home loan borrowers now using a broker for their mortgage needs. Record numbers of borrowers have realised that brokers can be more than intermediaries – they can be trusted partners that provide excellent credit advice. And with technology advancing in leaps and bounds, there has never been a greater opportunity to succeed as a broker.

It’s clear that the profession is enjoying an unprecedented window of opportunity. But is it the right opportunity for you?

The New Broker Academy is dedicated to helping you answer this question.

We’ll show you what a career in mortgage and finance broking really looks like, with candid advice from brokers who have made the decisions you are facing. We’ll show you what’s possible, and be honest about the steps you need to take to earn your success.

You’ll leave with a clear vision of whether this is the right career choice for you. If it is, you’ll know exactly what to do next.

Attending the New Broker Academy is free. There is no reason not to entertain your curiosity and make the possibility of an outstanding career in mortgage and finance real today.

Held in June in Sydney, the black-tie gala event brought together the industry’s top performers and stand-out fund managers. Attendees celebrated with the who’s who of the Australian financial services industry.

Individuals were encouraged to nominate a colleague or submit themselves into the category they were eligible for, while group finalists were chosen through meticulous judging criteria by our research partner Lonsec.

Lonsec Research & Ratings was positioned at the nexus of Australia’s financial advice and investment industry, enabling them to provide practical, actionable insights that added real value to our investment and advice solutions. Lonsec Research & Ratings connected financial advisers, fund managers and super funds with the tools, data and insights to make better investment decisions, grow their funds, engage better with members, and meet their best interest obligations. Comprising Lonsec Research, SuperRatings and iRate, Lonsec Research & Ratings rated over 2000 investment funds and equities and 500-plus superannuation products and was one of Australia’s fastest-growing managed accounts providers.

The individual awards were open to all eligible professionals and fund managers operating in Australia supporting the industry, and they were encouraged to participate for their chance to be recognised as an award winner. Finalists were shortlisted through a meticulous judging process, and winners were revealed on the night through further judging metrics.

Group award finalists were selected directly by our research partner Lonsec Research & Ratings.

This program covered the industry's finest, from the rising stars and leaders of tomorrow to the most senior professionals, boutique funds and heavyweights.

Guests celebrated in style at our five-star night of nights honouring excellence in Australia’s funds management industry.

Register your interest today to be the first to know when the Fund Manager of the Year Awards returns in 2026.

Navigating the new world of financial advice

Underlying shifts in our technological bedrock had fragmented the financial advice landscape. The integration of functional AI had uprooted established service models and represented a fundamental shift in the ways advice was delivered. While this new interplay of technology and experience created opportunities for more personalised, holistic advice, it also harboured unforeseen risks for advisers and clients alike.

Held in June 2025 for its 11th year, the Adviser Innovation Summit prepared attendees to navigate these challenges by facilitating a leading exchange of new technologies and ideas. Developed in deep consultation with financial experts, the agenda interrogated the key political, technological, and social forces that affected the profession.

We will return in 2026. Register your interest today to be the first to know when tickets go on sale.

Attendees dined against the backdrop of one of Sydney’s most striking locations and felt empowered by the company they kept and the people they met.

This event came to life when attendees of the Women in Finance Summit asked us for more opportunities to network with like-minded individuals. We listened and created an environment for forging partnerships and strengthening existing bonds with the brightest minds in finance.

At this unique event, camaraderie and connectivity took centre stage. But it wasn’t just about networking—it became a growing movement of dedicated professionals who aspired to lead and champion transformative change in finance. Each year, we invited a keynote speaker whose lived experiences were chosen to fuel this movement.

In 2025, that speaker was none other than two-time world champion and four-time Commonwealth champion Jana Pittman.

Jana’s achievements as an athlete were widely known. When continual injuries led to retirement, she boldly transitioned from the track to the ice, becoming the first Australian female to compete in both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. At the time, Jana was an obstetrics and gynaecology registrar, an ambassador for the Australian Cervical Cancer Foundation, and a mother of six. Her exclusive keynote address resonated deeply and inspired all in attendance.

We were proud to host this premium event on Friday, 2 May in Sydney.

The Women in Finance Lunch will return in 2026. Register your interest today to be the first to know when tickets go on sale.

Nationally recognising independent financial advice individuals and firms

The most anticipated awards program of the year, the ifa Excellence Awards, is back and once again bringing you an unparalleled awards program that identifies the top businesses and professionals in the financial services industry across the nation.

Winning an ifa Excellence Award will be a desirable accolade for both individuals and businesses seeking to forge their role in the finance industry and pinpoint professional development and innovation. Take the first step to being recognised at a national level and build a reputation for excellence.

The awards are open to all businesses operating in Australia supporting the industry, from the profession’s most senior ranks through to its rising stars, and from start-ups to established to transformed businesses.

Get ready to celebrate in style at the 2024 black-tie gala event that will bring together leaders to celebrate the achievements and excellence of the industry’s best and brightest.

Don’t miss your chance to win this coveted award and reap the benefits of a prestigious accolade.

Recognising the women leading the charge in the financial services sector
This national awards program was designed to recognise and acknowledge the leading women influencing the Australian finance industry.

This is the benchmark for excellence around Australia, and year after year recognises the outstanding contributions made to the profession and those propelling the industry forward.

This year, we will once again celebrate the best of the best over a range of categories, from entrepreneurs and CEOs to those working in accounting, banking, finance, and many more.

Take the first step to being recognised at a national level and build a reputation for excellence. The awards are open to all female professionals and businesses operating across Australia.

Keen to be involved in 2025? Register your interest now and be the first to know when submissions open.

The most anticipated awards program of the year, the Super Fund of the Year Awards, once again delivered an unparalleled awards program that identified the top businesses and professionals in the sector, bringing together super fund trustees and executives, group insurance executives and custodians to reward the best of the best.

Winning a Super Fund of the Year Award is an outstanding and valuable accolade for institutions and super funds as well as individuals.

The awards are open to every organisation and professional that supports the Australian superannuation industry, from the biggest institutions and funds to the boutique challengers and from the most senior professionals through to the rising stars.

Keen to get involved in 2025? Register your interest today and be the first to know when submissions and nominations open.

It’s no secret that recent local and global events have placed greater pressure on responsible investing.

Consumer preferences continue to shift towards financial advice that has a greater consideration and an impactful incorporation of transparently sustainable, equitable, and environmentally progressive options.

Meeting the advice needs of your clients TODAY will serve to keep you better equipped to meet the needs of the clients of the future, many of whom will be Millennials that increasingly value sustainability, climate change, and gender parity.

Register your interest for our 2024 ESG Summit and be among the first to know when tickets go on sale.

Our ifa Future Forum is a one-day event jam-packed with the practical solutions you need to ensure the long-term relevance of your practice and advice in today’s industry.

Leading business coaches, thought leaders, and fellow advisers dissected the future of financial advice and provided practical solutions through high-touch, collaborative masterclasses.

With an influx of clients, capacity constraints, and increasing barriers to entry for new advisers, attendees gained insights into practical tips and take-home tools that they could implement in their practice operations immediately.

Register your interest for 2023 today to be among the first to know when tickets go on sale.