Headquarters:
17A Corinthian Drive, Albany, 0632
Year founded:
2017
Number of employees:
22
Phone:
09 4800 488
Email:
info@smi.co.nz
Website:
smi.co.nz
LinkedIn:
nz.linkedin.com/company/star-mortgage-nz
“We target wealth managers and RIAs that are looking for ways to differentiate in their offering and cater to a growing number of high-net-worth individuals looking for alternative investment vehicles such as private equity investment”
Kevin Collins
CEO and Founder
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IB Top Brokerages
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SHIELDED INSURANCE BROKERS
Award Winner
STAR MORTGAGE & INSURANCE (SMI)
Paul Yang
Director
Evan Zeng
Chief Financial Officer
Eric Hao
General Manager
Leadership
Paul Yang is a director and co-founder of Star Mortgage & Insurance (SMI), bringing a uniquely grounded perspective to financial advisory. A graduate of AUT with a major in accounting, his entrepreneurial roots run deep – he built and operated up to three Domino’s Pizza franchises before transitioning into banking, spending three years at BNZ as a business manager, where he developed expertise in residential and business lending. Yang spent a decade as a mortgage adviser before co-founding SMI five years ago alongside his long-time friend Evan Zeng. What began as a three-person operation has since grown into a 22-strong team – a testament to his leadership, vision and relentless commitment to client success.
Director
Paul Yang
Evan Zeng is a partner and co-founder of Star Mortgage & Insurance and one of Auckland’s most decorated financial advisers. A Massey University business graduate, he has spent a decade in financial advisory, earning multiple accolades as a top-performing mortgage adviser. What truly sets Zeng apart is his firsthand experience as a property developer – having personally built and sold over $20 million of real estate, he understands development finance from both sides of the table. Deeply embedded in Auckland’s North Shore property scene, he is the go-to adviser for developers and investors seeking expertise that goes far beyond the numbers.
Chief Financial Officer
Evan Zeng
Eric Hao is the general manager at Star Mortgage & Insurance. With a career spanning corporate banking at Westpac NZ, SME and retail banking at BNZ, and entrepreneurial experience within hospitality and wholesale imports, he brings a rare combination of institutional banking expertise and entrepreneurial acumen to every client engagement. Hao advises across residential and commercial lending, drawing on his direct lending and cash flow lending experience gained within the banking sector. He is known for his relationship-driven approach, precision and commitment to client outcomes.
General Manager
Eric Hao
SPECIAL REPORT
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Bio
Tim Bowen
Chief Financial Officer
Tim Bowen is chief financial officer at Squirrel, bringing more than 15 years of management and consulting experience across the insurance sector and other industries. A former New Zealand representative swimmer, he is recognised for his strong work ethic, leadership and broad commercial expertise. Bowen plays an important role in supporting Squirrel’s growth and financial performance. Outside work, he enjoys staying active, sharing dad jokes and unwinding over a classic dinner of steak and mash with family and friends.
Chief Financial Officer
Tim Bowen
Abi Cooke
Chief Marketing Officer
Abi Cooke is chief marketing officer at Squirrel, bringing extensive experience across marketing, digital strategy and financial services. Her career has spanned both London and New Zealand, working with major brands including UBS, ASB, ANZ, Westpac, Generate and Fisher Funds through leading agencies such as Affinity ID, Colenso and Krunch. With postgraduate qualifications in business and marketing, Cooke combines strategic thinking with strong industry expertise. She is recognised for her energy, creativity and leadership within the business. Outside work, she enjoys travelling, exploring new restaurants, staying active and spending time with her children, Josh and Siena.
Chief Marketing Officer
Abi Cooke
“Find your place among the stars” is the promise made to every client who walks through the doors of Star Mortgage & Insurance (SMI), a promise the Auckland-based firm has backed up with annual settlements exceeding $700 million and a nationwide client base of more than 2,000.
The firm is guided by founder Paul Yang, alongside CFO Evan Zeng and general manager Eric Hao. Each brings a distinct strength to the table. Yang established the firm’s culture of disciplined execution and client-first service. Zeng built out SMI’s commercial and development lending practice, a segment that demands deep technical expertise and has become a significant growth driver. Hao, whose background includes corporate banking at Westpac NZ and SME and retail banking at BNZ, has expanded the firm’s reach into Central Auckland. Together, the trio has shaped a brokerage that competes across the full spectrum of lending, from first home buyers to seasoned property developers.
That breadth is one of SMI’s most compelling differentiators, as the firm has invested heavily in commercial property, construction finance, development funding and business loans. The firm’s lender panel spans Tier 1 banks, including ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Westpac and Kiwibank, through to over 20 specialist Tier 2 and Tier 3 lenders. That range means SMI can structure solutions for a client with a 5% deposit on their first home as readily as it can arrange $10 million in construction finance. The firm’s portfolio includes individual commercial transactions all the way up to $100 million.
Diversification has also insulated the firm against the ups and downs of the residential market cycle, while a strong referral network, fed by accountants, lawyers and real estate agents, continues to drive new business. A significant proportion of SMI’s new enquiries come from existing clients and professional partners, a result the firm attributes directly to its record of consistent delivery.
SMI’s cultural identity is another dimension of its competitive edge. The majority of the team shares roots in the Chinese New Zealand community, with strong Mandarin-language capability and an active presence on WeChat. The firm has since broadened further, now counting advisers who speak Hindi, Punjabi, Filipino and Sinhala, a reflection of Auckland’s multicultural makeup and a genuine point of difference in how SMI builds client trust.
Recruitment is deliberately ambitious. Rather than competing for experienced advisers, SMI invests in developing its own. The firm runs a structured training programme for candidates from non-finance backgrounds, combining 2.5 weeks of classroom training with aggregator accreditation and mentored pairing with a licensed adviser. In 2025 alone, SMI grew its adviser team by 10 through this model.
With a deep lender panel, a team that reflects the communities it serves and a growth strategy built on expertise rather than volume, SMI has positioned itself as one of New Zealand’s most well-rounded mortgage brokerages.
“[Automation] has resulted in productivity gains far greater than 80 percent and allowed our customers to grow their business by handling a greater number of clients, client portfolios, and assets under management”
Kevin Collins
CEO and Founder
Callan Wayne-Bowles
Group Head of Advisory
Colin Gardyne
Chief Technology Officer
Steven Sun
Financial Adviser
Sarah M Stewart
Associate Vice President,
Leasing and Call Centre Operations
Callan Wayne-Bowles is group head of advisory at Squirrel, bringing more than two decades of experience within the finance industry. He holds degrees in accountancy and commercial law from Victoria University and spent over ten years working for major banks before joining Squirrel. Known for his deep industry knowledge and trusted advice, Wayne-Bowles has built a strong reputation as a leading mortgage adviser in Wellington, reflected in his many repeat clients and referrals. Outside work, he enjoys fishing, snowboarding and playing golf whenever time allows. He is also recognised within the team as its most successful poker player.
Group Head of Advisory
Callan Wayne-Bowles
Colin Gardyne leads Squirrel’s growing team of developers as chief technology officer and is constantly focused on building innovative technology solutions for the business. After a busy day of coding and problem-solving, he enjoys relaxing by watching Liverpool matches or playing PlayStation with a Tuatara beer in hand after work.
Chief Technology Officer
Colin Gardyne
Steven Sun is an experienced financial adviser at Plaxo Mortgages, with over six years of expertise in delivering tailored lending solutions across a wide range of client needs. He brings a strong foundation in banking, having previously spent five years with ASB and Westpac, where he specialised in lending and team management. This dual perspective allows him to understand both internal bank processes and the practical needs of his clients.
Sun provides comprehensive services, including home lending, property investment lending, and development project finance. He also supports business owners with tailored business loan solutions. He delivers practical, well-aligned strategies and provides end-to-end support throughout the lending process to achieve consistent results.
Financial Adviser
Steven Sun
Greg McAweeney is an accomplished commercial leader with over 20 years of experience spanning digital strategy, customer experience, strategic marketing, brand building and B2C/B2B sales across financial services, telecommunications and insurance. He joined Helia in 2022 as chief commercial officer, where he leads growth strategy and drives key partnerships. Prior to Helia, McAweeney served as CCO at HCF and held senior sales and service roles at Rabobank across Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce and an MBA from University College Dublin and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD).
Chief Commercial Officer
Greg McAweeney