By Tracey White, Group GM, Technology and Operations.
But the consequences of standing still are just as real. Without transformation, we risk falling behind: spending more time on manual tasks, missing opportunities to personalise advice, and struggling to meet rising client expectations.
Recently, I was asked how AI might reshape financial advice. My view? AI isn’t here to replace the human connection that defines our work—it’s here to enhance it.
The opportunity is ours to seize: to elevate how we work, streamline complexity, and continue delivering real value to clients through meaningful, human conversations.
Over the past few years, I’ve had the privilege of leading NZHL’s transformation journey. It’s been a bold and ambitious chapter, filled with challenge, growth, and impact.
Our Transformation Programme is done, but the mission hasn’t changed. People-led, digitally enabled transformation remains at the heart of what we do.
We launched this journey during a time of significant external change. Advisers were investing in their qualifications, adapting to new regulatory frameworks, and supporting clients through global uncertainty and local economic shifts.
Despite the pressure, our people leaned in. Together, we delivered long-term change that empowers advisers to better support Kiwis with confidence, care, and clarity.
Our Transformation Programme is done, but the mission hasn’t changed. People-led, digitally enabled transformation remains at the heart of what we do.
In an increasingly AI-enabled world, adaptability matters more than ever. Not sure where to begin with AI? Start small, but do start. Get some advice on how to use AI safely and keep the human in the loop, as they say. You’ll be amazed at how you’ll find ways for AI to supercharge your day.
This next chapter is about momentum. It’s about scaling what works and creating the conditions for advisers to do what they do best: have valuable conversations without being bogged down by box-ticking and paperwork. AI and automation will play a key role in removing friction, freeing up time, and enabling advisers to focus on what matters most—building relationships and guiding clients toward financial freedom.
Transformation isn’t a one-off initiative. It’s not a project with a start and end date. It’s an attitude. A way of working that’s now embedded in the DNA of how we operate every day. It’s no longer something we do; it’s who we are. Fast, Focused, and Flexible.
What has been most rewarding is seeing this shift take root, not just in systems and processes, but in the culture. Transformation has moved from strategy to a shared mindset. It’s something our people live and breathe.
I saw this firsthand at our recent NZHL National Conference. There was a visible shift from “managed” change to “embraced” change. When we launched beta initiatives last year, the response wasn’t hesitation, it was enthusiasm.
Advisers leaned in, asked questions, and volunteered to be part of what’s next. That’s the power of transformation when it becomes part of who we are.
At NZHL, we’re not just adapting to change, we’re leading it - building a future where technology supports human connection, where advisers are empowered, and where transformation is more than a programme—it’s a practice.
And we’re just getting started. Why don’t you join us?
Tracey White is the Group GM, Technology and Operations at NZHL.
About NZHL
NZHL is a Kiwi-owned, respected, and trusted brand - a purpose-driven (financial freedom, faster) home loan and insurance network that offers a solution to support advisers and help put Kiwis in a better financial position. Part of Kiwi Group Capital Ltd (KGC) which is 100% Government owned, NZHL Group operates with an Independent Board and local business owners nationwide.
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