Profile
Ten years ago, Gabrielle Da Luz left a secure position at Commonwealth Bank to build something of her own. A home lending specialist who had spent years helping people into property, she wanted the freedom to give genuinely tailored advice rather than work within the products and credit policy of a single lender. “Leaving a secure banking role to build a business based on trust, integrity and personalised advice was a leap of faith,” she says.
The leap became Scoop Finance, where Da Luz is now senior mortgage broker and managing director. A decade on, the brokerage has grown into an award-winning practice, a repeat finalist at the annual awards of its aggregator, Specialist Finance Group, including for WA/NT Broker of the Year and Best Branded Office. For Da Luz, her differentiator lies in taking on complex lending challenges while keeping people at the centre, drawing on a deep command of lender credit policy to structure solutions for first home buyers, self-employed clients and seasoned investors alike. She is equally passionate about educating them. “I believe it’s important that they understand all of their options, the reasoning behind my recommendations and the long-term implications of their decisions, allowing them to move forward with confidence,” she adds.
One of the defining decisions came when she invited her sister, Andrea, to join as a business partner. The two shared the same values and work ethic, and Da Luz counts it among the best choices she has made. “We complement each other’s strengths, challenge and support one another, and together we’ve built an award-winning brokerage founded on trust, integrity and exceptional client service,” she says.
The partnership reflects her wider belief that success should be shared. Da Luz is happy to support other brokers with her knowledge, processes and systems and has built lasting friendships in the industry through collaboration rather than competition. She says, “I believe when we support one another, we strengthen the profession as a whole.”
When she started out as a young female business owner, the finance industry was still largely male-dominated, and she often felt she had to work harder to prove her expertise before earning the confidence assumed of her other peers. She channelled that into motivation and now wants to make the path clearer for those following her. “Sometimes the biggest barrier isn’t opportunity – it’s confidence,” she says. She points to the SFGEmpowher community, which brings women together to connect and learn, as the kind of initiative that helps more women back themselves into leadership and business ownership.
What keeps Da Luz engaged is that no two days at work are ever the same. She speaks about the technical craft of lending, analysing policy and untangling complex scenarios with real enthusiasm and takes satisfaction in finding solutions clients had not thought possible. Away from the business, she is a proud mum to two amazing young boys. She enjoys playing soccer and creating contemporary artwork—pursuits she says reinforce the teamwork, creativity and resilience that shape how she works.
18 Norfolk Street, Fremantle, WA 6160
08 9432 7500
gab@scoopfinancewa.com.au
linkedin.com/in/gabrielle-da-luz-374b92b2
scoopfinancewa.com.au
Gabrielle Da Luz
Managing Director/Mortgage Broker
SCOOP Finance
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Bio
Milestones
2010–2016
2016–2018
2021–2026
2026
Present
2010–2016: After completing a university degree in Finance and Accounting, Gab began her career at Commonwealth Bank in Customer Service, progressing to Home Lending Specialist and building a strong foundation in lending and credit policy.
2014: WA Best Lender (Under Two Years)
2015: CBA Diamond Lender
2015: CBA Gold Lender
2010–2016
2016: Founded SCOOP Finance
2018: Partnered with sister Andrea – key business milestone
2016–2018
2021–2026: Continued to grow SCOOP Finance, building a strong team with a shared focus on client education, exceptional service and long-term relationships.
Multiple-time award finalist: WA/NT Broker of the Year and Best Branded Office (SFG)
2021: Winner, National Best Branded Office (SFG)
2023: Winner, National Best Branded Office (SFG)
2021–2026
Celebrated 10 years of SCOOP Finance
Achieved the business’s biggest financial year to date
2026
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