JR Finance was established in 2020 when Johnrae (JR) Tannen took everything he learnt from his 34 year-long-career and created a people-focused service that gives families and business owners the opportunity to access professional financial services.
Jordan Raphael started in 2020 as a loan writer and moved quickly as a loan strategist.
Cathy Zhai joined the team in April 2022 bringing her expertise from 15 years of banking, mortgage market, and lending experience. She strives to create a connection with every customer so she can walk in their shoes to achieve their financial goals.
The Richardson Road office from August 2020 has been a safe, warm place to work with our clients, to provide them with professional, encouraging, empowering advice and strategy that can change their financial lives. JR Finance continues to grow in strength with many happy clients spreading the word about their experience with us and appreciating the difference JR Finance has made to their mortgage lending and financial future.
Whether you are looking to purchase your first home, refinance your existing home, invest in property, develop properties, or invest in a business and asset finance, we have the expertise, passion, and resources to help you make confident investment decisions that set you up for a financially secure future.
Over 30 years in the sector, Johnrae’s banking experience spans retail and business banking, starting with ANZ Grindlays in India for 17 years. JR then moved to New Zealand with his wife and two children, continuing his career with ANZ in Auckland for another 17 years. He earned the opportunity to grow his knowledge and make a positive impact on his teams and clients at various positions as Senior Business Manager, West Auckland Regional Manager for Business Banking, and Regional Manager for South Auckland Retail Banking.
JR now enjoys working closely with his clients, sharing his learning, and helping them navigate their money journey to creating their own financial security and wealth. It is important to him that his clients are supported and guided through every step and feel empowered to make decisions for themselves. JR will work with you to craft clear and tailored plans for your growing assets and wealth and give you tips & ideas for savings and investments, so you have options to create the life that you want for yourselves.
Cathy was with ANZ Bank New Zealand for 15 years as Senior Personal banker, Wealth Specialist, Senior Business Banking Manager, Branch Manager and Senior Quality Assurance Manager, over that period. She has a keen understanding of the New Zealand finance sector, which allows her to see the big picture and help her clients to identify the best financial solutions & opportunities for the outcomes they want.
Cathy has a Master’s Degree in Finance, a Bachelor of Business Finance degree, Diploma in Art, Financial Services Level 5 certificate and a Certificate of Residential Lending. Clients seeking advice and solutions on residential loans, business loans, commercial loans, and development loans, benefit greatly from her knowledge & passion. Cathy also has the gift of connecting with people and is always keen to understand and appreciate her client’s situation before making recommendations. She believes that people thrive when they learn and feel empowered to make their own decisions. She works hard to educate clients, help them achieve financial goals and maximize their wealth.
Akash was with ASB for over 8 years, having started as a Customer Service Officer & very quickly, worked his way up to Personal Banker because of his talent for understanding and prioritizing customer’s needs. His skill and passion for lending grew him into a Home Lending specialist and then Premium Banking Manager allowing him to continue looking after his customer relationships.
The combination of skills eventually earned him the position of “Home Ownership Manager” at ASB Bank and the fulfilment of helping first home buyers, investment buyers and home developers achieve their dreams and goals. Akash joins the team at JR Finance as a strategic thinker, bringing impactful problem-solving skills, developed over a successful career in lending and finance - skills that allow him to pursue and find effective outcomes for his customers on their journey to financial security and income sustainability.
Dannie is a qualified Financial Adviser and a seasoned finance professional with 15 years of banking and finance experience in various lending roles. Having spent a decade at ASB Bank, ANZ Bank, and Westpac Bank, she held positions such as Senior Personal Banker and Business Lending Specialist, where she developed a strong grasp of lending options and underwriting processes for personal and business customers. Over the next five years, she has served as the Credit and Lending Manager at Resimac Home Loans, a leading non-bank lender. In this role, she led a team of underwriters, while overseeing all lending applications, and provided her team with exceptional credit guidance.
Dannie is a skilled lender and excels in mortgage products and client relationship management, leveraging her extensive knowledge to offer tailored advice that meets each client's unique financial needs. Known for her empathetic approach, she actively listens to clients, whether they are first-time homebuyers or seasoned investors, fostering a welcoming environment for discussions about their financial future. Her organizational skills and attention to detail ensures a smooth application process, and she proactively addresses challenges to minimize client stress.
Jordan is experienced in the mortgage and finance lending industry. His career began as a financial adviser in 2015 at the age of 23 years, quickly establishing a name and reputation for himself. Jordan has exceptional communication skills, attention to detail, and an ability to understand the clients' unique needs. These have allowed him to build a loyal client base to whom he is a trusted voice.
With his experience as a financial adviser, Jordan launched his own Financial Services Business in 2016, providing his clients with even more personalized service and customized financial solutions.
During Covid-19, Jordan merged his company with JR Finance, and began working on an internal system for the company to operate on with the outcome being a very efficient and time conserving way of processing loan applications.
Jordan's passion for helping people achieve their financial goals combined with his entrepreneurial spirit and commitment has made him an asset to the JR Finance team as a loan strategist. In this role, Jordan is responsible for exploring, developing & presenting the best loan solutions so clients receive the best possible options, loan structures, and interest rates available.
Nusheen holds a qualification in Journalism and Mass Communication and brings over 10 years of experience in customer service. She has worked in the multiple areas including hospitality, aviation as well as with multinational companies like WNS, Amazon. Her passion is to help customers to understand their needs and achieve their goals. Having joined JR Finance team in August 2024, Nusheen is vital in supporting the team and looking after clients. Her high efficiency, “can do” attitude and the deep desire to provide excellent client service has quickly made her the “go to” person that we depend on.