Fifteen years after starting as a trainee finance broker, Goran Babac has acquired Yes Loans, marking the next chapter in the growth of a fintech-led lending group focused on delivering faster, smarter and more accessible finance solutions for everyday Australians.
Together with childhood friend and business partner Trent Cray, Babac now leads three complementary businesses Yes Loans, MoneyBuddy and Loans123 employing 25 staff, with plans to expand the team to 40 staff by the end of the financial year.
The acquisition of Yes Loans from the John Hughes Group strengthens the group's position across personal, vehicle, business and equipment finance while complementing the rapid growth of fintech lender MoneyBuddy and brokerage Loans123.
Babac said the timing reflects changing consumer needs as Australians continue to navigate rising living costs.
"We're seeing more people looking for faster, smarter and accessible finance to cover unexpected expenses like car repairs, household bills and everyday costs," he said.
"A few years ago, many of these customers may never have considered a small loan. Today, cost-of-living pressures have changed that, and they expect lending to be fast, simple and transparent."
Babac began his career with Yes Loans in 2011, progressing from trainee to Sales Manager and General Manager before acquiring the business.
"Owning the business where my career started is incredibly rewarding. It's proof that with hard work and the right vision, opportunities come full circle."
MoneyBuddy was founded in 2025 after Babac and Cray identified a gap in the market for a more customer-focused lending experience.
"We wanted to build a business that wasn't just processing applications, but genuinely helping people when they needed it most," Babac said.
The group is now investing heavily in technology across all three businesses, with a focus on reducing approval times, automating lending processes and improving the customer experience.
MoneyBuddy is currently developing technology aimed at reducing application-to-funding times to as little as 60 seconds by December 2026, while Yes Loans and Loans123 is introducing new digital systems to streamline document collection and lender communication across more complex finance applications with a trial already in place.
"The future of lending is digital, but it also needs to be personal," Babac said.
"Customers want speed, but they also want to know they're dealing with people who genuinely care about helping them. That's what we're building across all three businesses."
With demand for digital finance continuing to grow, Babac and Cray believe the acquisition of Yes Loans positions the group to become one of Australia's leading integrated fintech and finance businesses.
