The resource war for talent in finance broking.

As broking consolidates, capital and technology matter, but talent is the real differentiator. Mergers are closing, the brokerages built to grow are buying books and offices, and the firms that win are the ones investing in the people who turn that scale into growth. Without the right talent, strategy is empty, technology is idle and infrastructure sits static.

The bottom line: Consolidation is making capital and technology table stakes, which leaves talent as the deciding factor. FinTalent helps scaling brokerages win the leaders and brokers who turn acquisition into growth, because scale without the people to execute it stalls.

Deals are happening. Mergers are closing. The industry is shifting under its own weight. Veteran brokers are stepping aside, younger brokers are stepping up, and the handover has begun. In 2025 the number of brokers aged 50 and over fell while the 18 to 25 group grew, on the MFAA’s 2026 industry report. The people driving the change are familiar faces. Many of the owners and CEOs competing for talent were once colleagues, and most remain friends. Today they are rivals. Off the battlefield they may still be out for dinners, but in the war for talent past ties count for little. You either win or lose.

The brokerages built to grow are ready and capital is moving. They are acquiring books and offices, and they are investing in people, the one resource that decides whether scale becomes growth or stagnation. Without them, strategy is empty, technology is idle and infrastructure is static. Consolidation is the new reality. The share of brokers working in multi-broker offices rose from 52.9% to 56.8% in 2025 while sole-operator numbers stayed flat, and AFG has been buying stakes in brokerages since November 2024. Bigger firms can absorb costs, meet compliance demands, invest in digital platforms and reach more clients. Scale alone does not win, though. Scale needs execution, and execution needs talent.

What is driving consolidation?

Regulatory requirements are rising, technology demands are increasing and succession pressures are mounting. Since ASIC’s best interests duty took effect on 1 January 2021, every broker has had to show that the loan they recommend is in the client’s interest, and someone in the business has to own that. Firms are joining forces to survive, to thrive and to dominate. Larger organisations can spread overhead, invest in systems and deliver more sophisticated services. None of it matters if there are not people to make it work. Talent is what turns capital into revenue, ideas into operations and opportunity into results. Our state of broking recruitment market report tracks where that pressure is showing up first.

What kind of leaders does a consolidating industry need?

The need goes beyond brokers hitting numbers. Firms need leaders who can build and scale revenue-generating functions, who can manage credit, operations, compliance and technology while driving growth and efficiency. These people do not appear overnight. Some can be nurtured internally and trained through graduate programs over time. For now, most of the people who can lead at this level come from larger, corporate organisations. They are experienced, structured and proven. They know how to run teams, implement processes and deliver results at scale.

Finding these leaders is one thing. Bringing them on board is another. Money helps, but it is rarely enough. The real levers are autonomy, impact, visibility, culture, purpose and investment. Autonomy gives them room to shape decisions and leave a mark. Visibility shows them the path to partnership, equity and leadership. Culture and purpose make work meaningful. Investment signals commitment through the tools, teams and systems they can rely on, and flexibility shows respect for life outside work. Winning the right leaders often decides whether a brokerage can scale at all. Leadership drives scale. Without it, growth stalls.

How do you win future talent?

Leaders matter, but so does the wider workforce. Top brokers, credit analysts and support staff are not motivated by pay alone. Flexibility, development, mentoring, promotion pathways, culture, purpose, security and wellbeing all matter. Firms that understand this will attract and retain the talent they need.

What people actually want is straightforward. Salary matters, and SEEK’s Talent Attraction Lab ranks it the second biggest draw for Australians, at 13.8%, just behind work-life balance at 15.0%. The figures in our salary guide get you to the table; they do not win the hire on their own. Flexibility through hybrid work, remote options and flexible hours is now a priority. Career progression and upskilling through mentorship, structured learning and visible promotion pathways seems obvious, yet plenty of firms miss the mark. Culture and purpose, built on innovation, diversity, inclusion and a clear mission, are part of the package. Security and wellbeing belong there too: job stability, benefits that cover more than the legal minimum, and mental and financial health.

On strategy, the firms that win do a handful of things well. They can explain in plain terms why someone should join them rather than the firm down the road, beyond pay, and they build presence in the market by posting roles regularly and staying familiar. They target and nurture talent straight out of university, because the alternative is losing those people to competitors or, worse, the banks. They invest in upskilling and technology, from digital transformation and data-driven decision-making to ESG reporting and better platforms. They build a culture of inclusion and transparency. They also offer structured progression and mentoring through formal training, sponsorship and visible pathways to growth. Many also work both ends of the market at once, courting proven leaders while developing experienced brokers and new entrants in parallel.

Talent decides the next era

Australia’s finance and mortgage broking sector is consolidating. Competition is rising, capital is moving and technology is evolving. The ultimate differentiator is still talent. Firms that combine competitive pay, flexibility, purposeful work, development opportunities and an inclusive culture will win the war for talent. Firms that offer only a salary will fall behind. The consolidation of the industry is creating a battlefield. Those who align strategy, capital and people, and act decisively, will not just survive. They will define the next era of Australian finance broking.