She joins from one of the big-four Australian banks
Omega Capital, one of the largest regionally based companies in the commercial mortgage broking industry, has welcomed Hamilton-based Nikki Wood to the team, bringing with her over 20 years of property finance experience.
Wood joins Omega Capital from Westpac, where she was most recently a senior property finance manager responsible for a portfolio of approximately $500 million.
Her banking career started 26 years ago when she was applying for a new mortgage with her then-husband at Trust Bank, Westpac’s predecessor, and asked if they were hiring when she was told by the bank she needed more income.
“I started as a casual teller and worked my way up from there. I spent time on the retail side of the branch and then in rural lending before landing in the property finance team,” Wood said, as reported by Fuseworks Media.
Before banking, Wood had a tax background, and when she decided to join Westpac’s property finance team, she also upskilled, completing a post-graduate diploma in property finance.
“I have a deep understanding of the property development sector – from buying land through to consenting processes and the issuing of titles. I enjoy working through lending with a client and finding the best solutions for them,” she said.
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Omega Capital general manager Noni Martin said the latest appointment further strengthens their team’s experience in property finance lending.
“I’m excited by the extensive property lending experience and commitment to finding the best solutions for our customers that Nikki will bring to the new role,” Martin said.
She highlighted one of Wood’s biggest strengths – understanding how to structure a deal to give lenders comfort, whether through equity levels or breaking developments up into bite-sized portions to deliver projects over time.
Wood commented: “I like working with customers and getting their transactions across the line, and I know I can do that at Omega without all the noise around me that you sometimes get in the banking environment.”
