Duo oversee national partnerships at CBA
BDM in the Spotlight and State Manager in the Spotlight are a regular series, giving brokers insight into the lives of some of the country’s leading relationship managers.
MPA spoke to two national partnership managers at Commonwealth Bank: Sandy Qamar (pictured above left) is the national strategic partnership manager third party banking and retail banking services, and Siobhan Burke (pictured above right) is the national strategic partnership manager.
Having started work as a pastry chef at Woolworths, Sandy has eight years’ experience in the finance industry. She oversees relationships with the bank’s head group business partners and assists with the communication and delivery of strategic change initiatives (and still makes the occasional cake)!
After working as a legal secretary for a local firm, Siobhan’s first taste of the industry was as a personal loans clerk for a credit union. She is now responsible for managing business stakeholder relationships, which ultimately translates to better outcomes for brokers and their clients.
Name: Sandy Qamar
Title: National Strategic Partnerships Manager Third Party Banking, Retail Banking Services
Years in the industry: 8
Company: Commonwealth Bank of Australia
Location: Sydney
1. Briefly describe your role and how you support brokers
My primary focus is to manage the relationships with our head group business partners at a national level including head group CEOs, and at a state or regional level as required.
I also communicate and help lead strategic change to add value to our head group partners and their brokers.
2. A goal that you aim to achieve in your role this year
We are seeing an increasing number of customers choose to go through mortgage brokers for their home lending needs.
One of my goals will be to ensure that we’re listening and learning from our broker and aggregator partners as to what they really need from CommBank, to support them to support their customers.
3. What’s your favourite part of the job?
Meeting the incredibly passionate people of this business who support customers to realise their home buying needs every day.
4. What sets successful brokers apart?
Their customer service and ability to adapt and evolve with the industry.
5. What should brokers demand from a BDM and lender relationship?
Fast and consistent access that is underpinned by transparency.
6. Describe your ideal weekend
To have breakfast and coffee at one of the local beaches and if I’m brave, maybe a swim. This would be followed by lunch and margaritas with my girlfriends (the lunch is less important - the margaritas are critical)!
Name: Siobhan Burke
Title: National Strategic Partnership Manager
Years in the industry: 15
Company: Commonwealth Bank
Location: Sydney
1. Briefly describe your role and how you support brokers
I manage head group relationships with key business stakeholders nationally, to ensure that we are engaged to achieve positive outcomes for our brokers and the banking industry.
2. A goal that you aim to achieve in your role this year
Continuing to build off the great start that we have had to the year. This includes supporting our brokers through the digitisation process and continuing to create efficiencies for brokers and their clients.
3. What’s your favourite part of the job?
I absolutely love getting out there and speaking with our aggregator business partners and brokers. I enjoy hearing about what is happening in the market and how we can continue to support our industry.
4. What sets successful brokers apart?
Brokers who work closely with their existing consumer base to create opportunities (and to guide and navigate), are successfully cementing their positioning with clients.
5. What should brokers demand from a BDM and lender relationship?
Brokers should be able to rely on consistency and transparency from their lender and broker partnership. It’s a pivotal relationship, where trust is imperative to ensure a continuous standard of customer outcomes.
6. Describe your ideal weekend
It would be spent with my family and friends where we enjoy good food, good wine and good conversation.
BDM in the Spotlight features a range of BDMs and relationship managers within the industry. Among those most recently featured were Resimac business development manager Ciaran Brady and outsource Financial relationship manager - WA Sarrah Fariha.
Earlier this week, MPA reported that CBA general manager third party banking Adam Croucher is to leave the bank after 18 years of service. CBA general manager acquisition retention customer Razia Khan is to step into the role until a permanent replacement is found.
