Headquarters:
North Sydney, NSW
Year founded:
2006
Number of employees:
210
Phone:
(02) 9145 9524
Email:
rgubbay@thinktank.net.au
Website:
thinktank.au
LinkedIn:
linkedin.com/company/thinktank-commercial-property-finance
“We prioritise embracing cutting-edge technologies, creative problem solving and continuous improvement to enhance our premium funding solutions and provide exceptional value to our clients”
Jonathan Street
Chief Executive Officer
Belinda Wright
General Manager, Partnerships and Distribution
Nathan McMullen
General Manager, Credit Risk
Leadership
Jonathan Street has more than 35 years of experience in the finance industry across Australia and the UK, including roles with National Australia Bank, Rothschild Asset Management, Cargill Financial Markets and Accenture.
As one of Thinktank’s founders, Street has played a central role in the development and evolution of the business since its inception. He remains closely involved in shaping strategic direction in collaboration with the company’s key internal and external stakeholders.
Chief Executive Officer
Jonathan Street
Belinda Wright brings over 20 years of experience across banking and financial services, with expertise in residential sales, credit and end-to-end home loan processing. She has a strong focus on the third-party broker channel and has built her career around enhancing broker engagement and lending performance.
Wright’s career spans roles at Westpac Group, ANZ and RAMS, where she built her expertise in lending and third-party distribution.
General Manager, Partnerships and Distribution
Belinda Wright
Nathan McMullen has more than 25 years of experience in financial services, leading teams across credit risk, product, digital, and strategy. His career spans both local and international roles with organisations including Westpac, ING, RAMS, GE, and AMP. He is also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
General Manager, Credit Risk
Nathan McMullen
BRETT BASTOW, IQUMULATE PREMIUM FUNDINGs
Leadership
Leadership
Cullen Hughes
Chief Financial Officer
Cullen Hughes has over 25 years of experience in financial services, with a strong focus on securitisation and capital markets. He has worked across major institutions including CBA, Citibank, Societe Generale, and Zurich Capital Markets, and gained regulatory experience at ASIC in the Investment Bank Division.
Hughes has played a key role in facilitating debt capital markets financing for a broad range of asset classes including residential mortgages, commercial property, equipment leases, consumer loans and auto loans.
Chief Financial Officer
Cullen Hughes
Charmaine van der Merwe
Chief Information Officer
Charmaine van der Merwe is an accomplished IT executive with decades of experience across the financial services and technology sectors. She is recognised for leading digital transformation and innovation, with a strong focus on aligning IT initiatives to strategic business goals. Charmaine has a proven ability to lead high-performing, cross-functional teams, mentor talent, and manage complex, enterprise-wide technology projects. She also holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Australian Institute of Management.
Chief Information Officer
Charmaine van der Merwe
Stevens & Associates Lawyers is a leading and trusted employment law firm based in Sydney known for delivering high-quality legal expertise in the area of employment law and industrial relations across Australia, alongside a proven track record of effectively and swiftly resolving a variety of workplace law issues.
In the past year, the firm’s growth has been notable. It has:
• experienced a 213% growth in the number of client matters, increasing from 149 client matters in the 2022 financial year to 390 client matters in the 2023 financial year
• improved its online visibility, leading to over 50 online enquiries each month and a conversion rate of client leads of up to 40%
• significantly expanded the breadth and type of matters that it advises on day to day, which has increased the firm’s skillsets, diversity and resilience
• expanded its community outreach by collaborating with local Sydney venues for client seminars and continuing active participation in a Sydney small/family business group
Stevens & Associates Lawyers has adapted to digital trends by implementing an effective strategy with SEO and web design, resulting in a structural shift that has seen increased representation of employees where the firm previously mainly advised employers.
The firm’s recognition as a “Fast Firm” attests to its momentum in the employment law space.
“IQumulate is on a technology journey, and we’re just getting started”
Wayne Tower,
IQumulate Premium Funding
Andrew Brown
Chief Operations Officer
Ben Cook
Head of Risk and Compliance
Michelle Anderson
General Manager, People and Culture
Pam Chhabra
Manager – Residential Strata
Andrew Brown has over 15 years of leadership experience in operational and risk-focused roles, with expertise in operational excellence, credit risk, technology, and process improvement.
He holds an MBA, Graduate Diploma in Management, Advanced Diploma of Banking Services Management, and multiple other qualifications including a Diploma in Financial Planning (RG146) and certification as an Agile SCRUM Master.
Chief Operations Officer
Andrew Brown
Ben Cook brings more than 20 years of experience in risk management and compliance within the banking and financial services industry. He has worked across major institutions including CBA, Westpac and Macquarie, developing a deep understanding of regulatory frameworks and industry standards. Ben has a strong track record in building high-performing teams and implementing risk mitigation strategies that balance compliance with commercial outcomes.
Head of Risk and Compliance
Ben Cook
Michelle Anderson has over 20 years of HR leadership experience in the financial services sector. She specialises in building high-performance cultures, leadership development, and employee
engagement. She has led strategies across talent acquisition, health and safety, employee relations, succession planning, diversity, and compliance. She also has extensive experience managing M&As and organisational restructures.
General Manager, People and Culture
Michelle Anderson
Stephen McMillan first entered the financial services Industry when he joined GE Capital as a finance analyst in 2008, from which he progressed through roles working both onshore and offshore. From there, he moved into Pacific Premium Funding as a financial planning and analysis leader in 2012 and was a key resource in the evolution of the business, first with the successful sale to Macquarie Pacific Funding and then the following progression into IQumulate Premium Funding, where he is now the commercial manager.
As commercial manager, McMillan leads a team that is responsible for commercial analysis and business support, identifying and reporting improvement initiatives, and the securitization and treasury functions of the business.
Commercial Manager
Stephen McMillan
One culmination of these efforts has been the real-world, needs-based IQEdge solution. A one-stop online quoting tool designed for both the Australian and New Zealand markets, IQEdge delivers quotes in under 60 seconds. Plus, the solution offers quote comparison and quote versioning capabilities, enabling users to review vital historical and financial data in a single page view.
IQEdge can streamline and automate application processing, underwriting document verification and payment collection, cutting the need for manual labour and minimising processing errors. A digital “self-service” platform, IQEdge, reduces the need for customer and administrative support. Meanwhile, borrowers can access their accounts, make payments and manage their policies independently and through sales and support teams, which are always available for further assistance.
“We’ve created a quality platform that simplifies the quoting process yet amplifies the customer experience,” says Gordon. “It’s a real game changer.” IQumulate offers an online digital quoting tool to clients. The best-in-market solution enables IQumulate to tailor funding offerings to brokers that align with their prefered distribution channel.
Read on
IB Top Brokerages
Award Winner
Award Winner
THINKTANK PROPERTY FINANCE
SPECIAL REPORT
Home
Bio
Read on
Award Winner
SPECIAL REPORT
Home
Bio
Read on
Award Winner
SPECIAL REPORT
Home
Bio
Medal
Strata cover
Brokers’ Pick
Broker's Pick – Personal Accident and Illness Insurance
Turnaround time – claims
BDM support
Broker communication, training and development
Overall service level
BDM support
BDM support
What does IQumulate have in mind for the future?
“IQumulate is on a technology journey, and we’re just getting started,” says Wayne Tower, CEO. “Through continuous engagement with our clients, partners, marketplace and industry, we will listen to the needs as they arise and position our business to be agile and respond to changes as they occur.
“Faster decision-making innovations such as AI-powered decision support systems can expedite the underwriting and approval process, leading to quicker responses to clients. This can improve client satisfaction and potentially attract more business, creating a competitive advantage with the potential to allow IQumulate to command premium pricing or capture a larger market share.
“As forward-thinkers with a digital and ‘do it better’ mindset, we collectively and proactively look to learn and improve on our customer experience for our clients, paving the way for successful business outcomes for our clients and our business in the coming years ahead.
“We’re excited for the future and look forward to what’s on the horizon.”
Adam Basaldella
Manager – Claims
Stephen McMillan first entered the financial services Industry when he joined GE Capital as a finance analyst in 2008, from which he progressed through roles working both onshore and offshore. From there, he moved into Pacific Premium Funding as a financial planning and analysis leader in 2012 and was a key resource in the evolution of the business, first with the successful sale to Macquarie Pacific Funding and then the following progression into IQumulate Premium Funding, where he is now the commercial manager.
As commercial manager, McMillan leads a team that is responsible for commercial analysis and business support, identifying and reporting improvement initiatives, and the securitization and treasury functions of the business.
Product Manager
Claire Watson
Stephen McMillan first entered the financial services Industry when he joined GE Capital as a finance analyst in 2008, from which he progressed through roles working both onshore and offshore. From there, he moved into Pacific Premium Funding as a financial planning and analysis leader in 2012 and was a key resource in the evolution of the business, first with the successful sale to Macquarie Pacific Funding and then the following progression into IQumulate Premium Funding, where he is now the commercial manager.
As commercial manager, McMillan leads a team that is responsible for commercial analysis and business support, identifying and reporting improvement initiatives, and the securitization and treasury functions of the business.
Commercial Manager
Stephen McMillan
Claire Watson
Product Manager
Stephen McMillan first entered the financial services Industry when he joined GE Capital as a finance analyst in 2008, from which he progressed through roles working both onshore and offshore. From there, he moved into Pacific Premium Funding as a financial planning and analysis leader in 2012 and was a key resource in the evolution of the business, first with the successful sale to Macquarie Pacific Funding and then the following progression into IQumulate Premium Funding, where he is now the commercial manager.
As commercial manager, McMillan leads a team that is responsible for commercial analysis and business support, identifying and reporting improvement initiatives, and the securitization and treasury functions of the business.
Product Manager
Claire Watson
Claire Watson
Product Manager
Stephen McMillan first entered the financial services Industry when he joined GE Capital as a finance analyst in 2008, from which he progressed through roles working both onshore and offshore. From there, he moved into Pacific Premium Funding as a financial planning and analysis leader in 2012 and was a key resource in the evolution of the business, first with the successful sale to Macquarie Pacific Funding and then the following progression into IQumulate Premium Funding, where he is now the commercial manager.
As commercial manager, McMillan leads a team that is responsible for commercial analysis and business support, identifying and reporting improvement initiatives, and the securitization and treasury functions of the business.
Product Manager
Claire Watson
“We are committed to building a workplace where all voices are heard, respected and empowered”
Graeme Holme,
Infinity Group Coaching Australia
“We don’t just provide services; we partner with clients for long-term success. This commitment extends internally, too. We invest in staff development and nurture leadership at every level”
Graeme Holme,
Infinity Group Coaching Australia
Ivan Verescuk
Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director
Shaun O’Brien
Head of Underwriting
Emily Walker
Head of Strata and Development
Rex Oakman
Head of Operations and Risk
Sandy Newton
Head of Underwriting
Andrew Mitchell
Manager – NSW
Michael Prokopis
Manager – Southern Region
Pam Chhabra
Manager – Residential Strata
Jeffrey Valdivia
Manager – Commercial Strata
Adam Basaldella
Manager – Claims
Thinktank Property Finance has built its culture around three core values: Do What’s Right, Work as One and People First.
That framework influences how decisions are made, how teams collaborate and how the company supports its people. Integrity, accountability and care are part of daily operations.
This approach earned Thinktank a place on MPA’s Top Mortgage Employers 2025 list. It reflects strong performance and recognises how the company has grown by investing in its people and building the kind of culture that employees thrive in.
“We believe doing the right thing while also demonstrating integrity and accountability are central to the way we work,” says Jonathan Street, chief executive officer. “It helps to create a strong sense of trust across our business and forms the foundation of our relationships with our partners.”
The organisation has scaled while keeping its identity strong. Collaboration is front and centre, and there is no separation between customer experience and internal culture. Brokers and clients benefit from cross-functional coordination across credit, distribution, operations and support. Teams are given the trust and tools to deliver, with performance expectations made clear and achievable.
Leadership has shaped that environment through consistency and direction. Street and the executive team focus on long-term sustainability. That is evident in hiring decisions, system upgrades, product development and internal initiatives.
“We have actively nurtured a strong, people-driven performance culture that balances commercial outcomes with long-term sustainability,” adds Street. “As a result, Thinktank has not only grown in size and scale, but in reputation by earning the trust of brokers, aggregators, institutional investors and employees alike.”
Development is personalised and structured. Every employee has a development plan built around their goals and mapped to the core competencies of their role. Managers work directly with their teams to support that process. The company also offers a study assistance program to support external learning, professional certifications and formal education. Feedback is gathered through engagement surveys, and the results drive action.
“By combining personalised planning, competency mapping, ongoing feedback and supported training, we create an environment where our people feel empowered to develop their skills and advance their careers,” says Michelle Anderson, general manager – people and culture.
Compensation is benchmarked against industry data from the Financial Institutions Remuneration Group. Incentives are tied to performance, and recognition is embedded in how the business operates. Leaders use survey data to identify specific areas for improvement. That insight dictates the focus for communication, recognition and career development planning across teams.
Thinktank’s approach to diversity is making a difference. Women make up 49 percent of the total workforce. Over half of the organisation’s broker-facing sales and relationship leadership roles are held by women. Internal surveys show 96 percent of staff believe the company values diversity, with 94 percent reporting they feel respected at work.
“These results affirm that our approach is working, but we continue to seek to improve by listening to our employees, reviewing our policies and practices, and embedding inclusive behaviours across every level of the organisation,” Anderson says.
The company’s recent initiatives include leadership development programs and external partnerships to support more female brokers moving into commercial and SMSF lending. These efforts are grounded in mentorship, training and active sponsorship.
Thinktank is also building its data and analytics capability to better understand engagement, support well-being and track the impact of internal programs. The goal is to remove barriers, not automate decisions. The organisation describes it as a move towards a “technology-empathetic” workplace that gives people more time to focus on high-value work.
IQumulate invests in education and people, which are vital to attracting new business and talent to the company.
“We have long tenures for several of our key staff, including some in leadership positions, and this sound working knowledge of our business, practices and industry provides great insights and a wealth of experience to offer our clients,” says Bastow. “Our new head of sales, Graeme Gordon, formerly manager for New Zealand, joins us in Australia to drive our sales strategy and lead our team to successful outcomes for our clients and our business. We look forward to great things ahead with Graeme as he continues to be active and present in the New Zealand market as well as building sound working relationships and new connections in Australia.”
Clients can also expect a lot from working with IQumulate.
“Through active engagement with our trusted broker network, IQumulate provides relevant information, education and training content,” says Graeme Gordon, head of sales. “Our clients can expect IQumulate to support their business in several ways, providing an understanding of what premium funding solutions are available and how IQumulate can spread the cost of insurance and help borrowers get the right level of insurance cover to free up their cash flow for other expenses or business growth opportunities. Premium funding is often considered a tool for those who simply cannot afford to pay their premiums in full. While this is certainly a significant driver for many, it is also successfully used by profitable companies who use premium funding to manage their cash flows more wisely or better manage their liquidity.”
Medals
Advancement
Benefits
Compensation
Culture
Diversity, equity and inclusion
Innovation
Reputation
Sustainable programs
Overall