The hiring spree continues at Better Choice Home Loans.
The non-bank mortgage lender is ramping up its senior-leadership team with two new hires in its push to grow broker-focused products and strengthen credit outcomes.
On the heels of hiring Viking Aggregation alum Cath Ryan as Better Choice's new head of sales and strategic partnerships at the start of the year, Better Choice — the non-bank lending arm of BNK Banking — has now hired Grant McFarlane as head of credit and lending origination, and Jelena Babanour as head of product. Both McFarlane and Babanour report directly to Joe Mittiga, chief operating officer at parent company BNK Group.
"These appointments are a clear signal that Better Choice is doubling down on the broker channel," Mittiga told Australian Broker. "As a 100% broker-only lender, brokers aren’t just part of our distribution model, they are central to our strategy.
"We're investing across sales, product, risk, credit and operations to strengthen every part of the broker experience from faster turnarounds to sharper policy and more consistent service," he continued. "Brokers drive our growth, shape our products and set the standard we deliver against. This new leadership team positions us to support them even more strongly into the future."
Allan Savins, chief executive officer at BNK, added: "The appointments follow a period of growth for Better Choice, with a renewed focus on improving broker experience through streamlined credit policy, expanded commercial lending options and enhanced residential product offerings.
“Brokers are at the centre of our business model,” Savins continued. “Cath is already playing a key role in deepening our broker engagement, and Grant and Jelena will work closely with her to ensure our products, policy and processes are designed to help brokers do more deals, more efficiently and with ease."
Sydney-based McFarlane's experience spans nearly two decades in Australia's mortgage and lending markets, with expertise in credit risk lending origination and portfolio management in both bank and non-bank environments, the company said.
Most recently, he comes from non-bank lender MA Money, where he served as head of lending. His resume also includes stints at Resimac, Ubank and Bluestone Home Loans. At Better Choice, he has been tasked with overseeing the company's credit strategy, policy developments and originations.
“Grant’s experience will help us simplify credit processes and improve turnaround times for brokers,” Savins said. “He will play a key role in making it easier for brokers to place complex and non-standard deals with confidence.”
Jelena Babanour, who is also based in Sydney, joined Better Choice in December as head of product, bringing experience most recently from Police Bank, as well as HSBC, Westpac and ING Australia, among others. Her background spans superannuation, wealth development and digital transformation.
At Better Choice, Babanour has been tasked with leading product strategy and development across the company's lending suite, with a focus on brokers and customer-first design.
“Jelena’s appointment strengthens our ability to bring new, broker -led products to market faster,” Savins said. “Her focus will be on competitive pricing, clear policy and product features that help brokers win and retain customers.”
BNK Banking Corporation was founded in 1982. Better Choice, which operates exclusively through the broker channel in both the residential and commercial sectors, was launched in early 2001.
Mittiga said Better Choice is currently working to grow its commercial offering, with particular focus on self-managed super funds (SMSF).
"And we're just getting started," he said. "We’re rolling out further improvements across our residential and specialist ranges, with a clear focus on value-add features, more flexible credit policy and streamlined digital documentation. These changes are designed to give brokers greater confidence, faster approvals and a simpler process for their clients."
Better Choice brought Ryan on board in January to boost its market presence and double down on the broker experience.
"We're very focused on making sure that there's a smooth broker experience behind the scenes," Ryan told Australian Broker.
Ryan, who works closely with Babanour, added: "For me, it's about really getting the brand out there. It's about reengaging with our aggregators and the broker market, really getting to know those brokers who we haven't engaged with yet."
