LinkedIn:

linkedin.com/company/everbright-finance

Website:

everbright.co.nz

Email:

info@everbright.co.nz

Phone:

0800 798 815

Number of employees:

Year founded:

2015

Headquarters:

NTT Tower, Level 16, 157 Lambton Quay, Wellington Central, Wellington

“It is a priority for us to continue to tap the unmet needs of our clients and grow with them to understand how to service them properly and give them what they need in this ever-changing landscape”

Vivianne Gauci, HomeEquity Bank

EverBright Finance was founded in 2015 by a group of dedicated, highly experienced former bankers determined to provide a sensible, simple, and successful service to New Zealanders as they look to build their futures. It was awarded first place nationally by Link Financial Group in recognition of its outstanding performance three years in a row. Today, EverBright Finance boasts three branches conveniently located in Auckland, as well as 17 financial advisers and a thriving support team. The team includes experienced personal and business lending advisers, property finance specialists, insurance advisers, and commercial property lending professionals. EverBright Finance has helped thousands of clients achieve their financial goals over a short period of time. The company is accredited with all major New Zealand banks, as well as an extensive range of other lenders. With their professional approach to lender relationships, the EverBright Finance team can ensure that each client has access to the most appropriate deals for their individual needs.

Brigid Rauwhero

Claims Manager

John Hogan

Head of Claims

Meg Dempsey

Operations Manager

Edward Lai

Head of insurance

Jack Hou

Partner

Song Song

Director of East Team

Oliver Huang

Director of North Shore Team

Francine Kwok

General Manager

Frank Cui

Founder/Managing Director

Leadership

Micah Ponto serves as senior vice president, head of financial services for Arch Insurance, a position he’s held since 2021. He joined Arch Insurance as an assistant vice president in the large commercial department in 2009. His prior roles at Arch Insurance included senior vice president, national manager of the large commercial department, regional vice president – central region, head of employment practices liability and head of the real estate investment trust group. Ponto previously worked at The Hartford in their financial products division, where he focused on management liability risk in both financial institutions and large commercial D&O. He has a bachelor’s degree in finance, investments and banking from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Senior Vice President, Executive Assurance, Financial Services

Micah Ponto

Chris Christon is a senior vice president at Arch Insurance where he oversees the large commercial group and transactional risk portfolio nationally. Christon has nearly 20 years of experience specializing in directors and officers, employment practices and fiduciary liability. Prior to joining Arch in 2009, Christon held various roles at Hartford Financial Products. He has a BA in English from Emory University and a JD from Brooklyn Law School.

Senior Vice President, Executive Assurance, Large Commercial Group

Chris Christon

Stephen Swartley is the chief underwriting officer and senior vice president of executive assurance at Arch Insurance. He has over 20 years of experience in management liability and product line expertise in directors and officers liability, employment practices liability, fiduciary liability, fidelity, kidnap and ransom and cyber liability. Prior to joining Arch Insurance in June 2009, he served in a variety of underwriting and managerial positions in management liability at The Hartford and as an underwriter at Reliance National. Swartley holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Pittsburgh.

Chief Underwriting Officer and Senior Vice President, Executive Assurance

Stephen Swartley

Edward Lai is the head of insurance for EverBright Finance. He believes putting his clients first and maintaining the highest level of professionalism on their behalf is a must and this has never steered him wrong. He brings the greatest degree of experience to his clients by listening to their needs and working diligently with them to implement a comprehensive customised plan that is unique to them. His specialty lies in life risk insurance such as life, trauma, disability income protection, TPD and medical cover. His clients would describe him as an honest, helpful, passionate and detail-oriented person.

Head of insurance

Edward Lai

Jack Hou is a strategic partner at EverBright Finance. He has 18 years of experience working in four international financial institutions, including three major banks in New Zealand. His positions within ANZ included head of international banking, NZ and Auckland Asian retail/business banking, and acting regional manager for Wellington North with 13 branches and over 200 bankers. He was also a board member of ANZ NZ Staff Foundation and the founder of the Wellington Region’s Asian retail and business bank divisions. Hou is passionate about helping clients enter into home and business ownership. He is keen to share his corporate and entrepreneurial experience to help customers and their businesses grow. As a vibrant, motivational leader, he develops high-performing individuals and teams. Innovative and entrepreneurial, he has a strong ability to launch new business strategies and own growth segments with superior customer satisfaction and revenue growth.

Partner

Jack Hou

Song Song is the director of EverBright Finance’s East team. Prior to this role, he worked for 12 years in various roles at banks. He has gained experience in leadership, lending and operation during his banking career. His last role at BNZ was regional manager in SME acquisition. Song’s experience and knowledge in the banking industry gives him great understanding of the client’s financial goals and how to achieve them. He specialises in business/commercial lending, property finance, cashflow lending and budgeting, residential home lending, investment property lending and business planning.

Director of East Team

Song Song

Oliver Huang is the director of the EverBright Finance North Shore team and a senior financial adviser. He has extensive knowledge and expertise in numerous areas including IT, international trading, wholesale manufacturing, retail, residential construction, property developments, and the banking/financial industry. He specialises in property finance and residential, business, and commercial loans. A rich business background and property development knowledge makes him unique in the finance sector. Huang has been recognised as Advisor of the Year in 2018 under Mortgage Link for his first advisory year, and has received the Link Financial Group Double Diamond Awards for the past years. He has helped countless customers make their financial dreams come true.

Director of North Shore Team

Oliver Huang

Francine Kwok is the general manager of EverBright Finance. Prior to joining the company, she had 20 years of banking experience with BNZ, where she gained experience in credit, people leadership, risk and operational management. In her last role as a regional manager at BNZ, Kwok was responsible for leading the highest performing team of business acquisition managers in the SME segment, providing banking solutions that fit the needs of businesses in Auckland and Northland to help them grow. To understand the needs of individuals and groups that she does business with, Kwok applies her practical experience and knowledge from her formal education when providing valuable advice and sourcing best solutions.

General Manager

Francine Kwok

Frank Cui, the founder and managing director of EverBright Finance, previously worked for two major banks in New Zealand for 14 years. During his professional career, he held several senior roles in the financial industry, which includes his last role as head of migrant and Asian banking division. He also serves on the board of the Employers and Manufacturers Association in New Zealand. As a career banker and businessman, Cui is passionate about supporting local businesses and communities to help them grow. He also has an academic master’s degree in Advanced Leadership Practice from Massey University and a Finance degree from Auckland University. Cui is married and has two children. In his leisure time, he enjoys playing basketball and acoustic guitars. 

Founder/Managing Director

Frank Cui

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“Our long-term vision is to reimagine our customer and partner journeys to deliver a simple, efficient and highly pleasing experience supported by empowered teams and enabled with leading digital capabilities”

Vivianne Gauci, HomeEquity Bank

Management Liability Arch Insurance’s professional underwriting team specializes in providing management liability insurance to a broad range of industries. Cyber Arch Insurance’s experienced underwriting team takes a forward-looking approach to writing network security, privacy and media liability. Professional Liability Arch Insurance’s professional liability team is positioned to offer liability insurance solutions for lawyers, architects and engineers; design-build professionals, contractors and consultants; franchisors, insurance agents and brokers; real estate agents and brokers; property managers; registered investment advisors; travel agents and tour operators; and a host of other miscellaneous professional classes.

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