Headquarters:
102c Hobsonville Road, Hobsonville, Auckland
Year founded:
2022
Number of employees:
8
Phone:
0210 318 160
Email:
Mikey@guardiansmith.co.nz
Website:
guardiansmith.co.nz
LinkedIn:
linkedin.com/company/everbright-finance
“Everything we do as an organization is to serve our agents in a meaningful way, which is to provide industry-leading insurance solutions when they need them the most”
Mark Maher, Jencap
GUARDIAN SMITH MORTGAGE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES
Mikey Smith
Managing Director and Head Adviser
Melissa Smith
Client Services Manager
and Head of Loan Admin
Louise Weston-Arnold
Client Services Manager
and Loan Admin
Leadership
Mikey Smith founded Guardian Smith on the basis that he would continue to enjoy the ups and downs of the day-to-day lifestyle of the financial sector. Starting out at the end of 2018, it was a pipe dream for him to think he would be a multi-award-winning mortgage adviser, have teams of great people around him, and be making plans to spread across the country.
Smith believes that home ownership is a huge part of the NZ economy, and it is still the Kiwis’ dream to have their own home. He emphasises that borrowing correctly is a must and that it is clear there is a huge demand for Guardian Smith to provide service and advice that translates the lingo and educates people correctly so getting a home loan is not scary and becomes enjoyable.
Smith and his team are here to be the translators and turn the process from the deep unknown into education and enjoyment. They want to make sure they get people approved for the lending they need to achieve their goals. It is no secret that Smith wants to go from being one of the leading mortgage advisers to making Guardian one of the leading mortgage advisory companies in New Zealand. He emphasises that this cannot happen without sticking to their company values.
Managing Director and Head Adviser
Mikey Smith
Melissa Smith was the first person to join Mikey Smith back in 2019, when Mikey was looking to grow. At the time, Mikey was a small-time mortgage broker, and she trusted the vision of the company and joined Guardian Smith after 18 years in the banking industry. Melissa spent many years in home lending at ASB Bank and Kiwibank. She brings valuable skills to the company that help make sure they get loans approved.
Client Services Manager and Head of Loan Admin
Melissa Smith
Louise Weston-Arnold has a long history in the mortgage and lending space from when she was back in the UK. She’s an asset to the team; she processes refixes and mortgage extensions but also has the skills to help collate documents and prepare loan applications for bank submission.
Client Services Manager and Loan Admin
Louise Weston-Arnold
“Everything we do as an organization is to serve our agents in a meaningful way, which is to provide industry-leading insurance solutions when they need them the most”
Mark Maher, Jencap
“Our team has successfully executed on an aggressive acquisition and integration plan over the last few years, which has contributed greatly to our strong market position”
John Jennings, Jencap
Read on
Award Winner
Leadership
SPECIAL REPORT
Home
Bio
“Our team has successfully executed on an aggressive acquisition and integration plan over the last few years, which has contributed greatly to our strong market position”
John Jennings, Jencap
“Everything we do as an organization is to serve our agents in a meaningful way, which is to provide industry-leading insurance solutions when they need them the most”
Mark Maher, Jencap
Read on
Award Winner
Leadership
SPECIAL REPORT
Home
Bio
Zaheeda Ahmed
Client Services Manager
Zaheeda Ahmed joined Guardian Smith in 2020, coming from a sales and management background. She looks after everything, from helping clients fix their existing lending to extending expiring mortgage approvals to being Mikey Smith’s right hand. Ahmed keeps the company’s CRM, application folders, system operations and general office organisation in full order so Mikey and the team can work as efficiently as possible; in turn, this keeps the company operating at a high level with great service.
Client Services Manager
Zaheeda Ahmed
Jack Hou
Partner
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 and business banking, and acting regional manager for Wellington North with 13 branches and over 200 bankers. He was also a board member of the 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
Guardian Smith Mortgage and Financial Services opened its doors one year ago and has been full steam ahead ever since. The company’s goals are audacious and cannot be achieved without providing top-quality service and value to all of its clients. Guardian Smith focuses on refining processes, providing sound individual financial advice and building great relationships.
The best part about Guardian Smith is the road map that Mikey Smith, managing director and head adviser, has laid out in advance. The company wants to grow and become the most well-known mortgage adviser brand in the country. To do so, the team at Guardian Smith knows that they have to make sure their clients appreciate the advice they receive and feel like they get special care.
Guardian Smith has sound processes and systems in place to heighten efficiency and provide content for its brokers to learn from and lean on.
“Our team has successfully executed on an aggressive acquisition and integration plan over the last few years, which has contributed greatly to our strong market position”
John Jennings, Jencap
Edward Lai
Head of insurance
Steve Campbell
Executive Director
Rhonda English
Chief Marketing Officer
Evelyn Peng
Chief Risk Officer
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 coverage. His clients would describe him as an honest, helpful, passionate and detail-oriented person.
Head of insurance
Edward Lai
Steve Campbell followed his father into insurance broking. He loved the diversity of clients and their businesses. No matter how much there is in common, there are always unique aspects to how they work and the people that run them. That is what a broker needs to understand. Otherwise, how can they advise? By the time one has done a detailed risk analysis, they’ll know everything about the business – its operations, finances, people, and future direction – which is a perfect place to advise from.
“I found broking to be a deeply satisfying career and loved to help clients solve their business problems, of which insurance was the easy one,” he says.
What makes Campbell such a great chairman is his experience, problem-solving abilities, and a detached perspective that enables him to see the bigger picture. These qualities also make him an ideal mentor and guide for such a dynamic executive team. He is a devoted West Coast Eagles fan and a happy, doting grandfather.
Executive Director
Steve Campbell
Rhonda English is a CPA, CMA and obtained her Honors Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and her MBA from the Ivey Business School at the University of Western Ontario. Rhonda joined CM Club Group as vice president of insurance, then took the role of vice president corporate marketing, overseeing business insights & analytics and the acquisition and retention of the CM lines of business. In 2016, she was named chief marketing officer, taking on additional responsibility for travel and membership product, digital, and the government & community relations advocacy team.
Chief Marketing Officer
Rhonda English
Evelyn Peng started at CCG in 2017 as director of risk management and now serves as the chief risk officer for the organization. She has a Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology and a Master’s in Accounting from the University of Waterloo. She has extensive experience with enterprise risk management, specializing in operational risk management, and financial risk management. Evelyn is a Chartered Accountant and a Financial Risk Manager.
Chief Risk Officer
Evelyn Peng
Evelyn Peng started at CCG in 2017 as director of risk management and now serves as the chief risk officer for the organization. She has a Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology and a Master’s in Accounting from the University of Waterloo. She has extensive experience with enterprise risk management, specializing in operational risk management, and financial risk management. Evelyn is a Chartered Accountant and a Financial Risk Manager.
Chief Risk Officer
Evelyn Peng
Evelyn Peng started at CCG in 2017 as director of risk management and now serves as the chief risk officer for the organization. She has a Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology and a Master’s in Accounting from the University of Waterloo. She has extensive experience with enterprise risk management, specializing in operational risk management, and financial risk management. Evelyn is a Chartered Accountant and a Financial Risk Manager.
Chief Risk Officer
Evelyn Peng
“Despite the challenging claims environment, QBE’s coverage and risk appetite have remained consistent. Brokers and customers know and understand our risk appetite and the cover we offer, providing them with certainty for the future,” says Erica Kofie, head of cyber proposition. “We put our customers at the centre of our business, responding to brokers in a proactive and timely manner and working with the customer to understand their unique risk profile and tailor appropriate solutions.”
Kofie adds, “Through 2022, QBE successfully delivered significant growth in the cyber sector, reflecting the depth and strength of our team. We continue to see cyber as a key opportunity and will be further developing customer-centric solutions across various geographies and segments in line with our growth aspirations.”
SPECIAL REPORT
Home
Bio
Read on
IB Top Brokerages
Award Winner
Award Winner
Earlene Huntley
Group Chief Financial Officer
Melissa Abramowitz
General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Privacy Officer
Melissa Abramowitz has been practicing corporate and commercial law for over 20 years, with an emphasis on the financial services industry. She joined CAA Club Group in 2014, and currently serves as the General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Privacy Officer of CCG and its affiliated companies. At CCG, Melissa provides strategic legal advice on a broad range of matters including corporate governance, licensing, distribution, marketing and advertising, commercial contracts and regulatory compliance. She holds a Bachelor of Civil Law (B.CL) and Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from McGill University and a Certificate in Regulatory Compliance for Financial Institutions from Osgoode.
General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Privacy Officer
Melissa Abramowitz
Earlene Huntley joined CAA in 2014 as director, tax and was promoted to AVP, tax in 2016, and to her current role as group chief financial officer of CAA Club Group in February 2017. In her role, she is responsible for all aspects of finance. She is a graduate of the University of the West Indies where she earned her BSc. Accounting (Hons) and is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants in the United Kingdom.
Group Chief Financial Officer
Earlene Huntley
Simon Williams
Chief Strategy & Distribution Officer, Arch Insurance International
and Active Underwriter, Syndicate 1955
Simon Williams
Chief Strategy & Distribution Officer, Arch Insurance International
and Active Underwriter, Syndicate 1955
Earlene Huntley joined CAA in 2014 as director, tax and was promoted to AVP, tax in 2016, and to her current role as group chief financial officer of CAA Club Group in February 2017. In her role, she is responsible for all aspects of finance. She is a graduate of the University of the West Indies where she earned her BSc. Accounting (Hons) and is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants in the United Kingdom.
Group Chief Financial Officer
Earlene Huntley
Melissa Abramowitz has been practicing corporate and commercial law for over 20 years, with an emphasis on the financial services industry. She joined CAA Club Group in 2014, and currently serves as the General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Privacy Officer of CCG and its affiliated companies. At CCG, Melissa provides strategic legal advice on a broad range of matters including corporate governance, licensing, distribution, marketing and advertising, commercial contracts and regulatory compliance. She holds a Bachelor of Civil Law (B.CL) and Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from McGill University and a Certificate in Regulatory Compliance for Financial Institutions from Osgoode.
General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Privacy Officer
Melissa Abramowitz
Melissa Abramowitz
General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Privacy Officer
Earlene Huntley
Group Chief Financial Officer
Earlene Huntley joined CAA in 2014 as director, tax and was promoted to AVP, tax in 2016, and to her current role as group chief financial officer of CAA Club Group in February 2017. In her role, she is responsible for all aspects of finance. She is a graduate of the University of the West Indies where she earned her BSc. Accounting (Hons) and is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants in the United Kingdom.
Group Chief Financial Officer
Earlene Huntley
Melissa Abramowitz has been practicing corporate and commercial law for over 20 years, with an emphasis on the financial services industry. She joined CAA Club Group in 2014, and currently serves as the General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Privacy Officer of CCG and its affiliated companies. At CCG, Melissa provides strategic legal advice on a broad range of matters including corporate governance, licensing, distribution, marketing and advertising, commercial contracts and regulatory compliance. She holds a Bachelor of Civil Law (B.CL) and Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from McGill University and a Certificate in Regulatory Compliance for Financial Institutions from Osgoode.
General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Privacy Officer
Melissa Abramowitz
Jencap is committed to employing innovative enterprise-wide technology solutions that support their underwriters in making more timely and effective risk decisions. As such, they launched Two Sigma Insurance Quantified’s SubmissionIQ in 2022. SubmissionIQ equips their underwriters with the data they need to make smart and strategic risk assessments, further supporting them in implementing best-in-class business processes.
The common thread woven through Jencap’s success is its people, as they have the best brokers and support staff in the industry. Fun fact: 20% of Jencap’s staff are employee equity holders. They don’t just say that their team members “own it” – they really do! This adds a unique layer of commitment and dedication to their job and the company’s success.
“Our team has successfully executed on an aggressive acquisition and integration plan over the last few years, which has contributed greatly to our strong market position. Each acquisition has provided geographic expansion, new market access, exclusive programs and niche specialization,” says Jencap Chief Executive Officer John Jennings.
To date, they have acquired 19 companies and rebranded 10 of those companies to Jencap.
Click here for more information on Jencap.
Medal
Hospitality
Fast Starter
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
Medal
Overall service level
Broker communication, training and development
BDM support
Turnaround time – claims
Broker's Pick – Personal Accident and Illness Insurance
Hospitality
Fast Starter
Medal
Overall service level
Broker communication, training and development
BDM support
Turnaround time – claims
Broker's Pick – Personal Accident and Illness Insurance
Hospitality
Fast Starter
Management liability
Arch Insurance’s management liability team is dedicated to addressing the needs of our partners. Our underwriting approach is to recognize and address exposures particular to each insured and offer creative solutions for our customers including complex risk and hard-to-place industries.
Know more here: insurance.archgroup.com/north-america/canada/offering/management-liability
Cyber
Arch Insurance’s experienced underwriting team takes a forward-looking approach to writing network security, privacy and media liability for mid-to-large accounts.
Professional liability
Arch Insurance’s professional liability team is positioned to offer professional liability programs for financial service firms.
linkedin.com/company/oracle-group-australia-pty-ltd