This article was originally published on Scoop.
14 July 2025 – Community Broker Network (CBN), Australia’s largest network of Authorised Representatives (ARs), is excited to announce its entry into the New Zealand market through the acquisition of Folio’s broking network business.
Under the terms of the agreement, Folio will retain its platform and technology operations under the Folio name, while the broker network will now operate as CBN NZ—a new arm of Community Broker Network focused on supporting Authorised Representatives across New Zealand. The move enables both organisations to focus on their strengths—CBN on Authorised Representative support and community, and Folio on platform innovation and digital enablement.
“This is an exciting step forward for both businesses. Folio has built a strong network of brokers, supported by innovative technology. With this partnership, CBN can focus on growing and supporting that broker network, while Folio accelerates its platform development. The timing is right—the market needs it, and we’re ready.”
— Richard Crawford, CEO, Community Broker Network
The Network, backed by a passionate and skilled team, will continue to operate locally under the leadership of Alistair Monk, ensuring business-as-usual consistency, with the added backing of a larger group focused on liberating brokers to do what they do best – deliver outstanding advice to clients.
“At Folio, we’ve always believed that brokers deserve world-class tools built specifically for them — by people who truly understand the industry. This agreement allows us to double down on that vision, focusing entirely on delivering the most intelligent, intuitive broker platform in the market. At the same time, we know our broker community will be well-supported by CBN, whose scale and experience make them an ideal partner for this next chapter.”
– Roneel Kumar, Co-Founder, Head of Technology, Folio
The acquisition also acknowledges the continued support of Steadfast New Zealand, who have been instrumental in enabling the partnership.
With more than 340 AR businesses and a strong track record of sustainable growth, CBN brings deep experience in helping brokers thrive – not by growing the size of the network, but by investing in the success of its members. This expansion brings that same commitment and energy to a new market, ensuring brokers in New Zealand benefit from both service and software capability.
About Community Broker Network (CBN)
CBN is Australia’s largest general insurance authorised broker network, and part of the Steadfast Group. CBN empowers authorised brokers to support customers in making informed choices that ensures the best possible insurance outcome. CBN has over 900 individuals across regional and metropolitan Australia, each dedicated to providing quality business and personal insurance advice tailored to customer needs and objectives.
About Folio
Folio is a technology-led insurance platform that supports brokers with digital tools and intuitive systems to deliver better advice, faster. The Folio team will continue in their roles as part of this agreement, focused on enhancing the technology proposition and supporting their brokers.
