Search for Australia’s elite advisers and advice businesses begins

AFA and Zurich launch Adviser and Practice of the Year

Brad Fox

The Association of Financial Advisers (AFA) and foundation award partner Zurich have launched the 2015 AFA Adviser of the Year and AFA Practice of the Year awards (the Awards) commencing the search for Australia’s elite advisers and advice businesses.

In its thirteenth year, the AFA Adviser of the Year Award seeks to recognise an individual who is excelling in the provision of life-changing financial advice, whereas the Practice of the Year Award, in only its second year, is focussed on recognising a practice or business that satisfies broader criteria across all facets of advice excellence and practice management.

AFA CEO Brad Fox said that both Awards represent the willingness of professional advisers to step up and become leaders through their actions at a time when the financial advisory landscape is dealing with considerable disruption.

“Both the original AFA Adviser of the Year Award and the AFA Practice of the Year Award showcase the importance of focussing on client outcomes through connecting technical knowledge with adviser performance. Through our rigorous judging process, we are able to celebrate the success of advisers who we not only rate as exceptional, but whose performance has also been highly rated by their clients through the client feedback assessment we conduct as part of the judging process,” Mr Fox said.

“At a time when the reputation of financial advisers in the community is being challenged, these Awards provide an important opportunity to put the spotlight on the fantastic outcomes available to clients through receiving quality financial advice. Each award has its own unique criteria, giving the opportunity for both practices and individual advisers, who may be employees, to be awarded.”

Mr Philip Kewin, Zurich’s GM Retail Life & Investments reinforced that the criteria for each award would continue to include assessment of efforts made by award candidates to improve the financial literacy of their clients, prospects, and the community overall.

“Notwithstanding the challenges faced by the advice profession, the important role played by advisers in creating a more financially informed community has never been in question,” he said. “To the extent that many advisers are continuously looking to improve both their business efficiency and their client engagement proposition, both awards play a pivotal role in shining a light on, and sharing, best practice insights.”

Both awards will be judged by the same panel, comprising Brad Fox and Deborah Kent from the AFA, Rebecca Sheils (Beddoes Institute), Graham Peatey (Practice Management Consultant), Peter Sobels (Riskinfo), and Kristine Brooks and Andy Marshall from Zurich. Advisers and practices may nominate themselves, or can be nominated by any industry participant. The judging process includes due diligence with regard to each applicant.

Award applications open 18 May 2015 and close 17 July 2015 with the winners announced at the AFA National Conference, in Cairns on 27 October.