Profile
With almost 17 years of experience in the finance and banking industry, Andrea Svenson has built a reputation as a trusted lending professional, industry contributor and advocate for delivering exceptional client outcomes. Beginning her career in retail banking in 2009, she quickly developed a passion for finance and property before transitioning into corporate banking roles at both state and national levels.
During this time, she educated and supported thousands of brokers across Australia while building strong relationships with lenders and industry partners. This corporate banking experience provides a solid foundation for her work as a finance broker, enabling her to deliver strategic lending solutions across residential, commercial and asset finance.
As director of Empire Finance Co., Svenson is committed to helping clients achieve their financial goals through expert guidance, personalised service and long-term relationships. She is passionate about supporting women in finance and continues to contribute to the industry through leadership, education and advocacy.
Suite 37, 200 The Entrance Road, Erina, NSW 2250
0428 927 281
andrea@empirefinanceco.com.au
linkedin.com/in/andrea-svenson-899197158
empirefinanceco.com
Andrea Svenson
Director and Finance Broker
Empire Finance Co.
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Bio
Milestones
2009
2015
2019
2023
Present
Sales Consultant at Bankwest
2009
Business Development Manager at Bankwest
2015
National Business Development Manager at Deposit Power (Finalist, Non-Bank BDM)
2019
Finalist, Director of the Year – Women in Finance Awards
2023
Director and Finance Broker at Empire Finance Co. since 2022
Present
Milestones
As a founding member of WOW! (Women. Opportunity. Winning.), an employee resource group created for all women of Ryan Specialty, Phillips Topping has long championed for women in the industry.
“It’s very important to set an example and to not only inspire but mentor other females,” she adds.
In addition to her sharp marketing eye, the key to Phillips Topping’s success lies in her high-energy approach and positive attitude.
“As the leader of a team, it’s important to motivate and encourage your team members. People work very hard and do their best and it’s important to recognize these efforts. For my career overall, my attitude has been one of curiosity. The more you can learn, the better you’ll understand the business, and then the deeper your knowledge will become, making you a better team member.”
Chief underwriting officer of executive risk at Chubb
President of financial insurance solutions at Kemper
Chief underwriting officer at Axis Capital
CEO of global Insurance at Endurance
CEO of global Insurance at Sompo International
Empathy underpins that discipline. Prickett has struggled in the industry. She has felt what it is like when promised support does not materialize. Having worked across almost every function in the company, she understands operational detail and the pressure agents face. That shared experience shapes her leadership.
Structural barriers also shaped her path. As a woman and a mother, she encountered the assumption that serious business building required keeping priorities “out of order for a time.” She also experienced the double standard that frames firm women as difficult while praising similar behaviour in men.
“If you have a choice between being liked and doing the right thing, doing the right thing is always better, even if it’s the unpopular thing,” Prickett says.
She wants to dismantle the expectation that women must choose between career and family, or between strength and kindness. In her view, leadership demands both conviction and care.
Being named an Elite Woman carries weight. Prickett did not have female role models in the industry when she started. She hopes visibility changes that. “I hope I can be an example. Not of perfection, but of persistence. Of building from your values and staying true to who you are.”
The legacy Prickett is still defining centres on proof – proof that a large, profitable company can grow without sacrificing integrity; proof that agents can build real assets while keeping their priorities intact; and proof that leadership does not require abandoning who you are to succeed.
“If you have a choice between being liked and doing the right thing, doing the right thing is always better, even if it’s the unpopular thing”
Lee-Ann Prickett,
Experior Financial Group
“What I’ve learned is that when you build from your values, when you put people first, when you do the right thing even when it’s hard, that becomes your plan”
Lee-Ann Prickett,
Experior Financial Group