“Tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou, katoa.
Members, Ladies and Gentlemen and distinguished guests,
It is my pleasure to address you today on behalf of the Financial Advice New Zealand Board.
Our gathering is evidence of your commitment to strengthening professionalism in our sector. We have achieved a strong collective voice for insurance, mortgage, and investment advisers and financial planners in New Zealand and your presence here today reinforces the need for this service. We face challenging times ahead and your membership enables us to continue the excellent work the Financial Advice NZ team does.
A six-person Board leads Financial Advice New Zealand. Rupert, Paul and Sonja are adviser directors, and we have three independent directors, Peter, Lana and myself. I often say the board should be visible – not a mysterious group that meets behind closed doors. Please introduce yourself to us during the breaks. Board members will also be at the Financial Advice NZ exhibition stand so please come and say hello.
Vision and Purpose are important. We – Financial Advice NZ – are the voice for our profession and we champion quality advice to enrich New Zealander’s lives.
A board has two key jobs to do.
The first is to ensure the organisation has a strategy that is fit for purpose. We are confident we have a clear direction that will lead us into the future and enable us all to grow and prosper.
The second job – and this was crucial for Financial Advice New Zealand at the end of last year – is to appoint the best possible Chief Executive to lead us in our next phase of growth. More on this shortly.
First, I want to emphasize several critical themes that are central to our mission and vision.
Strategy
- Our profession is undergoing significant shifts, driven by technological advancements, changing customer expectations, and global economic dynamics. As we navigate these waters, our strategy must be agile, forward-thinking, and evolutionary.
- Our members have a long history together. We successfully amalgamated three associations into one and have strong relationships across the industry with government, educators, financial institutions, and media.
- Collectively, our voice is listened to, and repeatedly Financial Advice New Zealand has been successful in influencing change and direction for the benefit of all of you here today and New Zealanders as a whole.
- We are committed to championing financial advisers in New Zealand and ensuring the work we have all undertaken to lift our profession.
- We have more to do. And we plan to lead it.
- To lead, we need to be clear about what Financial Advice New Zealand stands for. Our values are clear.
We are:
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- Professional
- Trusted
- Unified
- Curious and
- Caring
- We support people in our communities to achieve financial success – whatever that looks like to them.
- These values define who we are and guide our actions. One voice, integrity and trust are not mere words; they are the bedrock of our organisation.
- Let’s make sure we live these values daily, both in our interactions with clients and across our sector. We grow better as a community.
- I feel privileged to be involved in this community and thank you for your ongoing support of Financial Advice New Zealand. Let’s work together to ensure our profession is valued.
Championing Professionalism:
- As financial advisers, you hold a sacred trust with your clients. Upholding the highest standards of professionalism is non-negotiable.
- We must continue to champion ethical conduct, transparency, and client-centric practices. Our commitment to professionalism sets us apart and builds trust within our community.
- Lifelong learning is essential to maintain this professionalism. As the financial landscape evolves, we must stay informed, adapt, and enhance our skills.
- Professionalism implies continuous development. Continue to learn and develop through our learning platform and webinars. Pursue our professional designations like the Trusted Adviser and Certified Financial Planner certification. Knowledge empowers us to serve clients better.
Growth
- For you, our goal as an organisation is to grow. A larger membership base amplifies our impact and influence.
- Today we have strong relationships with our colleagues at FMA and are very pleased to have them join us at conference to ensure you are ready for your monitoring visit.
- The new government brings changes for our profession. We are pleased to be working with Hon. Andrew Bayly on the review of CCCFA and CoFi, and I thank him for opening the conference today.
- These, like many of our relationships have developed through trust and respect. This takes time but we are in a strong and privileged position to influence those making legislative and regulatory decisions to ensure the unique aspects of operating as a New Zealand financial adviser are considered.
- Our goal is to continue to listen and build relationships that make a difference to our members.
On behalf of the Board a few thanks are in order.
I want to take this opportunity to thank Tony Dench for stepping in as our Interim CEO and collaborating with the team over the last four months. We are extremely fortunate to have had the benefit of Tony’s experience in the profession while we have been between CEOs. Tony’s approach to leadership has been outstanding and it has given Financial Advice New Zealand new opportunities.
Tony, from the Board and membership – thank you.
Tony has some great sayings, and one has particularly resonated with me during his time with us. He is often heard saying “The team is small but push well above their weight”. And here they are:
Thank you Anita, Jasmina, Rebecca, Sarah and Stefan, who work tirelessly to support the financial adviser profession. They support members every day to thrive and help New Zealanders get advice from quality advisers – our members.
The future is exciting, and this conference is designed to lift us all as a group. The team has worked endlessly behind the scenes to make this a reality. Their professionalism and expertise are impressive.
We also have a new face in the team. Nick Hakes is the Chief Executive Officer. He brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience from his previous roles working with financial adviser associations across Asia and Australia.
Nick is a thought-leader. We are beginning our next phase of your professional body. By way of introduction – and to give some insights into Nick’s views I invite him up on stage now for a brief Q&A session with me.
CFP Professional Designations
My last duty is to announce our members who have received their CFP accreditation.
This professional designation is the only globally recognised symbol of excellence for financial planning. It represents the highest achievement within the profession, demonstrating a commitment to the uppermost level of education and ethical standards in financial planning.
Five members have achieved this recognition in the last 13 months;
Cameron Irvine,
Cherie Chen,
Jasmine Fang,
Katrina Studholme,
Stephen Redwood.
Two of our new CFPs are with us today. Katrina and Stephen could you join me on stage to receive your certificates.
While they make their way up here, I’d like to mention that Katrina is our Canterbury branch convenor. This is a voluntary role.
These regional teams are an important part of our network, and I would encourage you to sign up or contact the team if you would like to convene a branch in your area.
Thank you and congratulations. Details of the process to achieve CFP are on the Financial Advice NZ website.
That completes the Board update. Thank you again for joining us today and for your continued support of our professional body.”
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