Jason is the Director of Broker Essentials and is Australia’s leading Mortgage Broker Mentor and sort after media commentator. In 2016 Jason foundered Broker Essentials and launched a training program for brokers after years of inquiries into the best practices and habits of a high-performance business.
Jason was named 2021 Mentor of the Year at The Adviser Better Business awards, 2021, APAC Entrepreneur of the Year 2021 - Financial Services, ABA 2020 Mentor of the year, and AMA 2020 Service provider of the year. He was the Managing Director of The Australian Lending & Investment Centre (ALIC) and has been instrumental in taking ALIC to the forefront of the mortgage brokering industry. In 2014,15,16 and 2017 ALIC was voted the top independent brokerage of the year by Mortgage Professional Australia, Australia’s best brokerage in 2014 & 15 at the Australian Mortgage Awards and MFAA in 2016 and 2018.
Jason has over 30 years’ experience in the finance sector, having worked in senior sales, distribution and management roles for ANZ and having provided financial advice and services on behalf of financial planning, equity trading platforms, private banking, lending and retail distribution brands.
More details can be found on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-back-broker-essentials/ and at Broker Essentials www.brokeressentials.com.au
Jess Densley is the founder of the Elite Agency Success System, a leading real estate consultancy group working with business owners and sales people to achieve peak performance in their business worldwide.
He has previously been a high performing real estate agent ranked in the top 2% of agents in Australia, inside the countries largest franchise group operating from a regional market place. Jess also has been a leading business owner who operated an awarding winning real estate business that was crowned the number one regional business a record 4 times across Victoria & Tasmania.
As well as being a leading sales coach, Jess also has credentials as an accredited level one (ICG) human behaviour coach working with corporate organisations on unlocking potential in their individuals and teams.
Rex Afrasiabi is the Director of New Chapter Legal and Bond Property Lawyers, two leading Australian law firms specialising in commercial and property law.
With over 20 years of experience, Rex is recognised as a leading legal adviser for real estate agencies, mortgage brokers, business owners, and entrepreneurs navigating complex legal and commercial matters. Acknowledged by Forbes Australia as one of the country’s top choice lawyers for real estate agencies, Rex acts for some of Victoria’s largest and most successful firms, advising on agency structuring, franchise agreements, rent roll transactions, compliance, litigation, and succession planning.
In 2023, he founded Bond Property Lawyers, now one of Australia’s fastest-growing property law firms. Purpose-built for real estate agents and mortgage brokers, the firm fills a long-standing market gap by offering a bespoke technology platform that delivers real-time transaction updates with a leading legal team. Its unique B2B2C model has driven rapid national growth within just two years.
His thought leadership has appeared in Forbes, The Times, Entrepreneur Magazine, Herald Sun, and leading industry podcasts.
Outside of work, Rex values time with his two daughters and credits his family — and the values instilled by his migrant parents — as the foundation for his drive, resilience, and purpose.
As Chief Economist of PRD Real Estate (PRD), Dr Diaswati (Asti) Mardiasmo leads a
nation-wide (Australia) research team providing high-quality property, housing, and
market research to PRD franchises and brings a multitude of expertise: economics,
public policy, demographics, housing data, future projects and supply of housing,
stakeholder engagement and management, and high-level data analysis.
Prior to this she was Visiting Fellow at the Law and Justice Research Centre in the
Faculty of Law at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT). Dr Mardiasmo
holds a Ph.D. from the Faculty of Law at QUT, specialising in public / state asset
management and governance. Dr Mardiasmo is the industry co-lecturer for QUT’s
Bachelor of Property Economics, within the School of Economics and Finance, Faculty
of Business and Law. She was previously an industry partner within the Australian
Federal Government’s Australian Research Council Linkage on Sustainable Housing.
Diaswati was appointed by the Queensland State Government to the Brisbane 2032
Olympic and Paralympic Games Legacy Committee between 2022-2025, as a
housing economist specialist. Diaswati is a member of the Residential Committee
2025-2026 for the Property Council of Australia (for the 3rd term) and a member of
the Reserve Bank of Australia Liaison Program. Diaswati was awarded the prestigious
Migrant Leader of the Year award at the Women Changing the World Awards 2024.
Dr Mardiasmo has provided expert property and real estate commentary at national
and international seminars, as well as to various print media, online, podcasts, radio,
and TV channels. She has published specialized property-related research papers,
book chapters, government white papers, and industry publications; as well as in a
wide range of journals, books, and national / international conference proceedings
that covers her broader expertise of economics, public policy, and governance.
Diaswati have provided expertise as a keynote speaker and/or panellist for a wide
range of organisations, including (but not limited to) United Women Australia, Property Council of Australia, Governance Institute of Australia, Young Economist- Economic Society of Australia, Women of the World Australia; and many more.
She has a deep passion for multiculturalism, diversity, and inclusion; reflected in her
position as Board of Directors for Multicultural Australia since 2022 and a committee
member for the Salaam Institute Brisbane Chapter since 2025.
Professor Rahat Munir is the Head of Department of Accounting and Corporate Governance, Macquarie University. He is FCA, FCPA and PhD. Professor Munir is internationally acclaimed for his engagement with industry-driven curriculum and has been at the forefront of leading development and change initiatives. He is also forensic accounting specialist with financial crime investigative skills. He has pioneered innovative learning and teaching (L&T) practices, academic standards & accreditations. Her maintains strong ongoing relationships with external stakeholders, including professional associations, universities and communities - Universities in China, Southeast Asia, South Asia and Europe. He has served on the panel for Faculty/Course Reviews of various Universities in Australia and New Zealand. With his strong engagement with industry, he leads CFO Forum, Industry Academic Series, Thought Leadership and Business Leaders Roundtables. He has written over 100 peer reviewed journal articles, conference papers, books, book chapters, monographs and commissioned reports, and over 50 publications for professional and lay audiences. Although the bulk of his research focuses on management accounting and controls, he has also published in important cognate areas such as education, CSR, corporate governance, corporate culture and research expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Professor Munir has delivered scores of invited/keynote presentations, and his expert opinions has been featured in radio, television, newspapers, newsletters, and web outlets. He is affiliated with several professional bodies including the Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, Professional Risk Managers International Association, USA, American Accounting Association, British Accounting Association, Canadian Accounting Association and European Accounting Association. Professor Munir serves on various high-level Committees and Advisory Boards. Professor Munir’s sustained excellence in teaching and research has been recognised through international awards.
Neville Hurst is a senior lecturer in property studies at RMIT University, Victoria, Australia. Although originally trained as an electrical engineer Neville has worked extensively in industry and for the last 40 years in the property sector as a practitioner and academic. His research interest focuses on real estate industry practices, valuation practices, housing markets and in particular energy efficient housing. Completing his Phd in 2019, Neville investigated real estate agent attitudes and engagement with energy efficient housing and is working with peak industry bodies to create greater awareness of the importance of sustainable housing to future cities.
Bernard Desmond is the Founder and CEO of Blank Financial, one of Australia’s fastest-growing mortgage broking businesses built on a simple belief: ambitious brokers deserve the freedom to focus on relationships while a world-class support team handles the rest.
Arriving in Australia with no network, no shortcuts, and no handouts, Bernard built his career from the ground up through determination, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to creating opportunities for others. Today, he leads an award-winning brand that is helping brokers across Australia scale their businesses, write more loans, and build meaningful careers under the Blank Financial banner.
With over a two decade of experience in the mortgage and finance industry, Bernard has become known for his innovative approach to broker partnerships, business growth, and personal branding. His vision is to create Australia’s most broker-centric platform - combining industry-leading support, marketing, technology, and community to help brokers achieve more than they ever could alone.
A passionate mentor, speaker, and entrepreneur, Bernard regularly shares his journey of building a national business from a blank page, inspiring others to embrace opportunity, back themselves, and think bigger.
“In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity - and that’s where you’ll find us.”
Bernard Desmond, Founder & CEO, Blank Financial