Hosted by Nick Hakes, CEO of Financial Advice New Zealand, this session will showcase the vision, purpose and practical impact behind this year’s recognised achievements. You will hear from award winners across lifetime achievement, financial capability, community impact and professional development, including initiatives that have strengthened financial wellbeing, supported communities, advanced consumer education and contributed to the profession.
This celebratory yet practical webinar is an opportunity to be inspired by advisers and organisations who are leading with purpose, creating lasting value and demonstrating the difference quality advice can make in people’s lives.
Learning outcomes:
By attending this webinar, you will:
- Hear directly from the 2026 award winners about the purpose, motivation and impact behind their recognised initiatives.
- Explore how advisers and advice businesses can contribute meaningfully to their communities, clients and the wider profession.
- Understand how financial capability and community impact initiatives can create positive, sustainable change for New Zealanders.
- Reflect on how leadership, service and professional commitment can strengthen trust in financial advice.
- Take away practical inspiration for how you can make a broader difference through your own advice practice, team or professional contribution.
Josh Bronkhorst - Former CEO
and Managing Director,
Link Financial Group
Josh Bronkhorst is an experienced CEO and Managing Director with more than 30 years of experience across financial advice, insurance, lending, wealth management, and adviser business development.
Originally trained in law in South Africa, Josh began his career as a public defender before transitioning into financial services, where he built and operated his own brokerage business prior to relocating to New Zealand. Since then, he has held senior leadership roles across the sector, developing deep expertise in business growth, adviser networks, succession planning, acquisitions, and scaling financial services businesses.
Taking a key leadership role with Mortgage Link in 2015, Josh oversaw its expansion into Link Financial Group, including the growth of Mortgage Link, Insurance Link, Invest Link, and FG Link. In 2017, he co-founded Advice Link, a proprietary CRM and advisory platform now used by hundreds of mortgage and insurance professionals across New Zealand.
Josh is widely recognised for his contribution to adviser innovation, leadership, and the broader financial advice profession. In recognition of his long-standing impact on the industry, he received the 2026 Financial Advice New Zealand Lifetime Achievement Award.
Maryann Pratt - Financial Adviser, Professional Investment Services Manawatu
Maryann Pratt CFP CM is a Certified Financial Planner with nearly three decades of experience helping clients build clear, focused financial strategies that support their long-term goals and financial wellbeing.
Since becoming an adviser in 1995, Maryann has developed broad expertise across all areas of financial planning, with a strong belief that successful outcomes begin with understanding what matters most to each client. Her holistic approach ensures clients are supported with well-rounded advice that considers every aspect of their financial position.
Maryann holds a Diploma in Business Studies and remains committed to ongoing professional development within the financial advice profession. Based in Manawatu, she works closely with individuals and families to provide practical, personalised advice that helps clients make informed decisions with confidence.
Professional Investment Services Manawatu was recognised with the 2026 Financial Capability Award - recognised for helping clients build confidence and make informed financial decisions.
Nicole Ferguson - National Director, Loan Market
Nicole Ferguson is National Director of Loan Market New Zealand, where she leads strategic growth, adviser support, and innovation initiatives across the network.
With more than 15 years of experience across mortgage lending, aggregation, and adviser development, Nicole brings deep industry knowledge and a strong focus on helping advisers build sustainable, high-performing businesses. She works closely with the wider leadership team at NZ Financial Services Group to strengthen adviser capability, enhance customer outcomes, and support the continued evolution of the lending sector.
Nicole is particularly passionate about the role technology can play in improving adviser efficiency and client experience. Her work has included driving digital innovation initiatives, including the integration of secure AI and CRM tools designed to streamline processes, strengthen compliance, and create more time for meaningful client engagement.
Known for her collaborative leadership style and commitment to adviser success, Nicole is focused on building strong support frameworks and future-focused solutions that help advisers thrive in a rapidly evolving financial services environment.
Cathy Drew - Financial Adviser, ShareNZ
Cathy is a Certified Financial Planner (CFPCM) with more than 20 years’ experience in the financial sector across New Zealand and South Africa. Based in Tauranga, she works with clients throughout the upper North Island and regularly travels between Tauranga, Auckland, and Hamilton. Cathy holds a Graduate Diploma in Business Studies (Personal Financial Planning) and specialises in building and managing wealth with one clear objective: helping clients achieve a secure, sustainable retirement.
Cathy provides a full financial planning service, supporting clients both before and after retirement. This includes goal setting, investment planning and implementation, KiwiSaver advice, and detailed analysis of retirement income and drawdown strategies. Widely recognised for her calm, empathetic approach in an industry that can often feel impersonal and overly complex, her clear and uncomplicated plans are tailored to each client’s personal situation. By combining logic with clarity, Cathy helps clients feel at ease and make informed decisions with confidence.
Outside of work, Cathy enjoys hiking, golf, travel, and spending quality time with friends and family, a reminder that good financial planning is not just about money, but about creating the freedom to enjoy life on your own terms.
Host: Nick Hakes - CEO, Financial Advice New Zealand
Nick brings deep experience of the financial advice process to the businesses he works with. He has provided insight, perspective, and influence on the financial advice sector, regulators, financial institutions, and professional bodies across Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Australia; and now leads Financial Advice New Zealand.
A champion for the value of quality financial advice; Nick has held executive roles and Board positions for wealth management institutions and professional adviser representative bodies.
He is the co-author of an industry white paper – a new advice competency framework, influencing the government’s new professional standards legislation, directly impacting 19,000 financial advisers in Australia.
Nick has served as the Independent Chair of the Pro Bono Financial Adviser Network and as the Vice Chairman of the International Certification & Standards Board for the Asia Pacific Financial Services Association (APFinSA) in Singapore.
He makes his own wine, which is more labour intensive than buying it, and sometimes not as good.
CPD: 1 hours
Member: Complimentary | Non-member: $50 (+GST)
A separate Zoom Registration Link will be emailed to registrants