Mark O’Flynn

The winners of the 2025 FAAA Awards have been announced at this year’s FAAA Congress Gala Dinner in Perth (Wednesday 19 November 2025).

The awards acknowledge the work of outstanding individuals in the financial advice profession who display leadership, innovation, client focus and an ongoing commitment to excellence at both an individual and practice level.

Following an in-depth judging process, 18 finalists across six categories were recognised for their focus on delivering the highest standard of trusted and professional advice to Australian consumers. 

The winner of the FAAA CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® Professional of the Year Award is Mark O’Flynn CFP® of Oxlade Financial in Queensland.

Mr O’Flynn has more than 20 years’ experience in financial advice and is the managing director at Oxlade.

FAAA Chair David Sharpe CFP® said Mr O’Flynn has shown great dedication to improving the lives of his clients.

“Mark not only clearly demonstrated a level of technical excellence, incorporating engagement with all the professionals in a client’s life, but he also showed great empathy and professional judgement to adapt and deliver client first advice in times of considerable client distress.

“As an active member of the FAAA, Mark is passionate about the future role of the profession. I warmly congratulate Mark on being named this year’s FAAA CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® Professional of the Year.”

The FAAA Adviser of the Year Award (sponsored by Zurich) was presented to Christine Swanson of Prominent Financial Services in South Australia. Ms Swanson is the senior financial adviser and director of Prominent Financial Services and started her career in 1987. The judges were impressed with Christine’s great dedication and advocacy for the profession, purpose-built business practices around the client journey, and overall contribution to the financial advice profession.

The winner of the FAAA Professional Practice of the Year Award is Boutique Advisers Private Wealth in WA, with managing director Gary Hasler CFP® accepting the award. The firm has been operating since 1991 and joined the FAAA Professional Practice Program in 2012.  The judges commented on Boutique Advisers’ sustained contribution to the profession and the broader community, as well as the practice’s ongoing investment in upskilling and developing their team.

Kelly King, director and senior wealth adviser of Iconic Wealth in WA, has taken out the FAAA Inspire Women – Excellence in Advice Award (sponsored by TAL). She founded Iconic Wealth in 2002 with the goal of delivering technically excellent, deeply personal advice that aligns financial strategy with clients’ life goals.  The judges noted Ms King’s strong advocacy for females in financial advice and the way she leverages all opportunities to promote this, as well as her commitment to female causes, including helping to build a female business community and through support of a crisis accommodation charity.

The FAAA Gen Next Rising Star of the Year is Aayush Sharma from Frost Financial Services in NT. The award recognises members in the first four years of practice in the profession or first six years of employment within the advice sector. Mr Sharma joined the firm in 2021 and has a bachelor of accounting with a major in financial planning. The judges noted that he exemplifies the core values of the FAAA—advocacy, leadership, and professional growth, and his passion and initiative make him a standout emerging adviser.

The FAAA University Student of the Year Award (sponsored by UniSuper), which recognises members who are enrolled in a financial planning related course in a tertiary institution or equivalent, was awarded to Katherine Mitterer from Queensland. Ms Mitterer has a diploma in accounting and is currently studying for her bachelor of business (financial advice) at the University of South Australia.  She describes herself as driven to help others navigate their own financial journeys with empathy and clarity. The judges were impressed not only with how passionate Ms Mitterer is about advice, but also her ability to make a career change whilst juggling a young family, online remote study and the role of President for the financial planning student society at her university.

FAAA chief executive officer Sarah Abood congratulated all this year’s award winners.

“The FAAA Awards recognise excellence in the financial advice profession and celebrate those demonstrating the highest standards of professionalism and care, and I congratulate all the winners and finalists at this year’s Awards,” she said.

“They are showcasing the positive and life-changing impact that financial advisers can have, particularly in Australia’s complex and ever-changing financial environment.

“This important recognition can’t happen without the help of our award sponsors, and we thank TAL, Zurich and UniSuper for their ongoing support and commitment to recognising excellence in our profession.”

The post Winners of the 2025 FAAA Awards announced appeared first on AdviserVoice.

The awards acknowledge members who are committed to delivering the highest standards of trusted and professional advice to Australian consumers, as well as those who go above and beyond to support their local community through pro bono and volunteer work. Additionally, the awards highlight the contribution of outstanding university students who represent the future of the financial advice profession.

FAAA general manager membership, Tania Milnes, said the awards are an opportunity to acknowledge the achievements across the wider advice profession and those who give extra effort to assist in their field and local community.

“The FAAA awards continue to recognise and celebrate those within the Australian financial advice profession that showcase the highest standards of professionalism and care.

“Financial advice is important for all Australians in maximising resilience and achieving their financial outcomes, therefore we recognise dedicated advisers who are committed to helping fellow Australians do so,” Ms Milnes said.

The finalists of the FAAA CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® Professional of the Year Award are:

• Sarah Leslie CFP®, Story Wealth Management
• Mark O’Flynn CFP®, Oxlade Financial
• Joe Stephan CFP®, Stephan Independent Advisory

The finalists for FAAAAdviser of the Year Awardare:

• Nikki Booth, My Wealth Solutions
• Adam Lai, Green Associates
• Christine Swanson, Prominent Financial Services

The finalists of the FAAA Professional Practice of the Year Award are:

• Boutique Advisers, WA
• Oxlade Financial, QLD
• WARR HUNT, VIC

The finalists for the FAAA Inspire Women – Excellence in Advice Award are:

• Melody Edwards CFP®, Evalesco Financial Services
• Morgan Hayward, Lume Wealth
• Kelly King, Iconic Wealth

The finalists for the FAAA Gen Next Rising Star of the Year Award are:

• Aayush Sharma, Frost Financial Services
• Shannon Victor, Oxlade Financial
• Aden Wilkins CFP®, Capital Partners

The finalists for the FAAA University Student of the Year Award are:

• Leah Dhu, Curtin University
• Katherine Mitterer, University of South Australia
• Callum Wishart, University of Queensland

Ms Milnes thanked the supporters of the awards, noting their commitment to the advancement of excellence in financial advice.

“This important recognition can’t happen without the help of our award sponsors, and we thank them for their ongoing support and commitment to excellence in our profession.”

Kieran Forde, head of adviser channel at Zurich Australia, the sponsors of the FAAA Adviser of the Year Award, said Zurich congratulates the finalists for their achievements and for leading the way in our industry. 

“Each of the three outstanding professionals has set themselves apart through their commitment to excellence, integrity, and the highest standards of advice. Their passion for helping clients achieve financial wellbeing is matched by their positive impact on the wider financial advice community.”

Beau Riley, general manager retail sales and new business at TAL, sponsor of the FAAA Inspire Women – Excellence in Advice Award, said the award recognises the remarkable impact women have across the profession.

“All the finalists have showcased what great advice really looks like – exceptional leadership combined with genuine care for clients and communities.

“Hearing the candidates’ stories has been a privilege, and they’re a powerful reminder of the role advisers play in helping Australians build confident financial futures. Congratulations to all finalists on this well-deserved recognition.”

Andrew Gregory, chief advice officer at UniSuper, sponsor of the FAAA University Student of the Year Award, said the calibre of entrants for this award continues to rise.

“UniSuper is delighted to support the next generation of advice professionals through this award for a second year. The future looks bright when emerging professionals are creating positive impact on the financial planning profession and their communities.”

The post Finalists announced for the 2025 FAAA Awards appeared first on AdviserVoice.

Christine Swanson

The Association of Financial Advisers (AFA) is celebrating the launch of the fifth AFA Female Excellence in Advice Award (the Award) and the second anniversary of AFA Inspire with a series of high profile events across five states.

The Award, a joint initiative of the AFA and TAL, recognizes women in financial advice who are making a significant contribution to their profession, their community and their clients. AFA Inspire was launched to help women find their voice and encourage them to be pro­active in seeking support and leadership roles within the financial services industry.

AFA Inspire Chair, Christine Swanson, said events in each state will feature outstanding guest presenters who will encourage women to gain greater confidence to step up to take personal and career opportunities.

“We have managed to secure some of the very best female speakers in the country to present at the various events, including award winning Australian broadcaster, comedian and author, Libbi Gorr; journalist, author and working mum, Melissa Doyle; former TV journalist and chief of staff with the Seven Network, Gemma Tognini, as well as two inspirational psychologists – Alison Hill and Dr Gemma Munro – who have both worked with business leaders to help them thrive in a demanding environment and maximise their strengths,” she said.

Ms Swanson said in only two years, AFA Inspire has created a community which actively connects and inspires women in the financial advice arena to succeed. “We are therefore delighted to host the Award’s 2015 launch and the dual celebrations.”

The events will be held in Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Sydney from 2 June. Click here for more information and to register.

The post AFA celebrates fifth Female Excellence in Advice award and second AFA Inspire anniversary with nationwide events appeared first on AdviserVoice.