We’re not usually ones to toot our own horn, but in this case, we’re gonna have to make an exception.
We’re buzzing to have had 26 of our very own recognised as part of NZ Adviser’s Top Adviser list for 2026 (up from 24 last year).
Here are the Squirrels who made the list—some newcomers, some familiar faces—repping our team from across the country:
- Aatish Balsara (Auckland)
- Adam Clark (Auckland)
- Ange Wanoa (Christchurch)
- Basil Frank (Auckland)
- Bernie Upton (Wellington)
- Carley Brunning (Wellington)
- Daniel Kuo (Christchurch)
- Emma Wallace (Auckland)
- Jessica Carr (Auckland)
- Jordan Mitchell (Wellington)
- Kat McInnes (Auckland)
- Kyle Moritz (Auckland)
- Matthew Van Geest (Auckland)
- Mayank Patel (Auckland)
- Nathan Miglani (Christchurch)
- Nelson Ford (Wellington)
- Nick Virtue (Wellington)
- Oliver Keogh (Wellington)
- Peimin Huang (Auckland)
- Shiva Iyer (Auckland)
- Steven Hogg (Wellington)
- Stevie Wallace (Wellington)
- Sunil Chandra (Auckland)
- Tina Liu (Auckland)
- Tessa Jacks (Auckland / Hamilton)
- Sudam Salunke (Auckland)
It’s a huge honour, and we couldn’t be prouder 🫶🏻
It’s awesome to see the team recognised for the hard work and care they put in each and every day, helping Kiwi navigate the world of mortgages and achieve their homeownership goals.
We’re always on the hunt for ways to make our advisers’ lives easier—leaving them with more time to do what they do best (give great advice).
Technology has moved at a huge rate of knots over the last few years. AI in particular means clients now have ready access to more information than ever before—which is awesome.
But more information doesn’t always = more clarity.
If anything, we reckon the role of a good adviser is more important now than ever, helping clients cut through the noise and find the right solution for them.
At Squirrel, we’re continuously investing in our own technologies and systems to help make our advisers’ lives as easy as possible—and free up time so they can focus on the stuff that really matters: building client relationships, providing quality advice and delivering the best possible outcome.
We caught up with a few of Squirrel’s Top Advisers to get their thoughts on how having the right tools and support behind them allows them to focus on what matters most.
Here's what they had to say:
Kat McInnes — mortgage adviser (Auckland):
“AI has been a game changer in that it cuts down the time we spend having to do stuff like data collection and review—which means we’ve got more time to support clients through those challenges rather than being tied up with admin.
“Every borrower’s situation is unique, and won’t necessarily always have a clearly defined solution. As good as technology is, it can’t replace a real person with real-world experience who can help you work through complex situations, build trust and advocate for a client when they need it.
“It’s the combo of great people and great tech making the difference.”
Oli Keogh — mortgage adviser (Wellington):
“Buying a home is a big deal. It’s emotional, it’s complicated. Taking the time to get to know someone, to understand what’s important to them, and knowing the right questions to ask to get at the heart of all that stuff, is where the human touch really matters.
“Squirrel’s technology speeds up a lot of the traditionally time-intensive, repetitive admin work that used to eat up most of our days. It means I can spend more time doing the stuff that adds the most value: actually working with my clients. Technology doesn’t replace human relationships, but it does strengthen them by allowing me to be more responsive, accurate and available when clients need it most.”
Tina Liu — mortgage adviser (Auckland):
“Over the last few years, the role of a mortgage adviser has evolved from being about simply arranging loans to being more of a trusted financial partner on people’s journey.
“While technology can help streamline the process of applying for a loan, it can’t replace human connection. Advisers have a really critical role to play in providing personalised advice, understanding cultural and complex individual circumstances, and giving clients the confidence and reassurance they need throughout their journey to homeownership.
“Technology is most powerful when it’s used to complement, rather than replace, human expertise. Squirrel’s investment in AI and bespoke technology takes care of most of the manual administration, giving me more time to focus on what matters most—understanding my clients’ goals and offering tailored advice.”
Ange Wanoa — mortgage adviser (Christchurch):
“AI’s made the admin piece of our role a lot faster and easier. That frees us up to be more responsive for our existing clients—meaning faster turnaround times—and to help more people.
“We’re there to walk the journey with them, not just offering advice and procedural guidance, but celebrating milestones, providing emotional support, thinking outside the box to get them the best solution, and building a meaningful, long-term relationship. I believe that human touch will always be important.
“Squirrel is really proactive about building AI agents to better support our team, and keep up to date with advances in technology—always looking for ways to improve the process to help us deliver greater customer outcomes.”
And a final note from our Group Head of Advisory, Callan Wayne-Bowles:
“I think the role advisers play has become more valuable as lending and regulation have become more complex. AI means clients now have access to more information than ever, which is great—but can also be quite overwhelming. People still want and need trusted advice to help them make sense of it all, and make sure they’re getting the right solution, tailored to their situation. Technology’s great for processing information, but it can’t replace judgement, trust or relationships.
“Squirrel has invested heavily in building our own proprietary technologies to address the pain-points and meet the needs of our advisers and clients. Because we control the platform, we can constantly iterate, tailor and refine it to make the process faster, simpler and more intuitive.
“AI and technology handle most of the research and admin, which means we’ve got more time to focus on the really impactful stuff—spending time with clients, building trust and strong relationships.”