When Camilla Tumai sold her adviser business in 2021, many assumed she was stepping back for good. Instead, she returned with purpose, to help reshape how business lending serves New Zealand’s advisers and small businesses. Today, as General Manager for New Zealand at Bizcap, Tumai is helping the lender build real momentum through deep local insight and a commitment to earning trust through action.

“What brought me back was a strong sense of unfinished business—and a genuine desire to continue supporting advisers as they try to navigate regulatory changes, grow their businesses and deliver better outcomes for their clients,” says Tumai.

Grounded in local experience

Tumai brings 25 years of financial services experience and a history of building and selling adviser businesses. Her return to the industry reflects not just her passion for the work, but our strategic focus on grounding Bizcap New Zealand in real, local understanding. She explains that

After nearly 20 years of helping clients and advisers grow, I took some time out to reflect on where I could make the greatest impact next

That reflection led to a leadership role where Tumai is applying her on-the-ground experience to Bizcap’s growth strategy in New Zealand. The company has prioritised alignment with local needs, reshaping its delivery model to better reflect the values and expectations of Kiwi advisers.

“Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to build and sell several adviser businesses. That journey taught me a lot, especially about the power of building strategic partnerships, meaningful connections and staying true to your values and culture.”

A local-first approach to business lending

While Bizcap entered the New Zealand market with early product traction, it quickly became clear that building trust would require more than a strong offering. It needed a distinct local strategy, one Tumai has been instrumental in leading.

“We understand that what works in Australia doesn’t automatically translate here. New Zealand has its own pace, its own relationship-driven culture and a deeply connected adviser network,” says Tumai.

Over the past 12 to 18 months, Bizcap has evolved its New Zealand strategy to reflect that reality. Instead of repackaging materials, Bizcap has developed new models and tools based on adviser feedback, ensuring that everything from training to partnership structures feels tailored and relevant.

“Our strategy today looks very different to when we first launched, and that’s by design,” says Tumai. “We knew we needed a New Zealand-specific approach—beyond branding, extending into how we form partnerships, deliver training and engage proactively with advisers. So we’ve focused on listening and building with advisers, not just delivering to them.”

Building trust through consistency

For Bizcap, trust is not a slogan but rather a strategic imperative. Tumai and her team have taken a deliberate approach to visibility and engagement, showing up consistently in the spaces where advisers operate and building credibility over time.

“Visibility builds familiarity, and in our industry, that’s the foundation for trust,” she says. “Advisers want to know who they’re working with, what to expect and that we’ll be there when it matters.”

That visibility has translated into real growth, but Tumai notes that metrics alone aren’t the measure of success.

We’ve grown significantly over the past year, but that only means something if advisers can feel the difference—and if that visibility translates into confidence, trust and stronger partnerships

Empowering advisers with tools that work

Bizcap’s New Zealand strategy is built around reducing friction and helping advisers better serve their clients. The company has launched a new partner portal to streamline referrals and increase transparency throughout the process. It has also expanded its product suite in response to specific gaps in the market.

“For me, adviser enablement is about helping advisers say yes to more clients, with less friction,” says Tumai. “They already have the relationships; our role is to equip them with the tools, products and support to act confidently and make business lending more rewarding to deliver.”

One of the standout developments has been Bizcap’s Line of Credit, which has seen strong uptake among clients unable to secure traditional bank overdrafts.

“Our Line of Credit has seen strong uptake—particularly among clients who’ve struggled to secure bank overdrafts—which is why we increased our maximum facility limit to meet growing client demand,” she says. “We also introduced Prime Loans to broaden our offering, and we’ll continue evolving based on adviser and client feedback.”

Built with advisers, backed by experience

Everything Bizcap is doing in New Zealand reflects a broader leadership philosophy rooted in listening first and delivering with purpose. Tumai’s background as an adviser shapes how the company builds partnerships and products.

Advocating for advisers is part of my DNA; I’ve been one, I’ve trained and mentored many, and I understand the pressure of running a business and what it takes to serve clients well

“Leadership, to me, starts with trust—built through consistent, everyday action. That means being available when it matters, following through, and leading a business that advisers feel confident partnering with.”

Tumai’s work with Bizcap is about more than operational success. It’s about building something that endures, shaped by real-world experience and delivered with care.

“With a clear-eyed view of what New Zealand advisers actually need,” she concludes, “Bizcap is making good on a vision for adviser support grounded not in guesswork but in hard-earned experience and consistent action.”

This article first appeared in The NZ Adviser