The 2022 AFA Adviser of the Year Award finalists are:

• Charles Badenach – Main Street Financial Solutions
• Felicity Cooper – Cooper Wealth Management
• Joseph Hoe – Wealthwise

The advisers who nominated for the AFA Adviser of the Year Award were measured on a number of factors including their leadership qualities, innovation, customer focus and professional excellence.

Chief Distribution Officer, of Zurich’s Life & Investments, Kieran Forde, said “As an ongoing partner of this prestigious award, we are pleased to provide a platform that recognises and celebrates these talented individuals who drive positive change through their leadership, innovation, customer-centricity and commitment to professional excellence and financial literacy. It has been great to be part of the judging panel this year, these individuals make us proud to be a part of an industry that does so much good for individuals and the broader community.

AFA CEO, Phil Anderson, said “It’s been an honour to participate as a judge in the award process this year, to see the incredible caliber of candidates. The AFA and Zurich have supported this award for nearly 20 years, helping showcase outstanding advisers from across the profession, and this year has been no exception. It gives you great confidence for the future of the profession to see the high levels of expertise and commitment these advisers have in helping their clients achieve great outcomes.”

Finalists will present to a judging panel in mid September about their business achievements, community involvement and approach to mentoring others, as well as being able to demonstrate and articulate successful client outcomes.

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AFA CEO, Philip Kewin said the Award, which is now in its 16th year, recognises extraordinary and visionary individual advisers. “The Award celebrates the qualities of leadership, innovation, client-centricity and commitment to professional excellence. The finalists for this year’s Award have proven themselves to be true leaders of our profession.”

Zurich Chief Distribution Officer, Life & Investments, Kristine Brooks, said the financial advice landscape has undergone significant changes that will be felt for many years and this year’s finalists are an exemplary illustration of advisers who are able to embrace the simultaneous forces of industry and regulatory change, and thrive and grow with the shifting needs of their clients.

“In today’s landscape the ability to demonstrate the value that quality financial advice can play in shaping and protecting the lives of Australian families has never been more important. Their leadership and ideologies can forge a path forward for their peers, as we embark on a united journey towards professional standards.”

The 2019 AFA Adviser of the Year Award finalists are:

• Simone Du Chesne: EQWealth
• Joseph Hoe: Wealthwise
• Elliot Watson: Elliot Watson Financial Planning

The AFA 2019 Adviser of the Year, which has been supported by Zurich since inception, will be announced on 29 August 2019 at the Gala Dinner held during the AFA Conference in Adelaide.

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Future2 is the foundation of the financial planning profession in Australia. Through its annual Future2 Make the Difference! Grants program, Future2 supports young Australians experiencing social, financial or physical hardship.

More than $1 million has been contributed by Future2 to benefit disadvantaged young people across Australia since its inception 11 years ago. The milestone was achieved by awarding $181,000 in new Future2 grants to 19 not-for-profit organisations in 2018, including special drought relief grants for struggling farming communities.

Future2 Chair, Petra Churcher AFP® says, “We have an ambitious target to increase our distribution in grants to $200,000 in 2019. We would like to see this annual amount double to $400,000 per annum. It is an ambitious target, and the extensive experience that Ms Berry, Mr Humphrey and Ms Maragna bring across a wide range of areas will be an absolute asset to the Future2 Board of Directors and our collective drive to make a positive impact to families and young people facing difficult circumstances.”

Each of the new directors brings a wealth of experience:

• Ms Julie Berry CFP® has been practicing as a financial planner for almost 30 years. She is a director of the Tax Practitioners Board (TPB) and Chair of Firm for 360 Financial Advantage. She is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She has served as both the Chair and board member of the FPA and as Chair and Board member of the Institute of Financial Advisers in New Zealand. She is also a life member of the FPA and a recipient of the Money Management Lifetime Achievement Award.
• Mr Hugh Humphrey is a senior executive in the financial services industry, with an interesting and diverse background in management consulting and telecommunications. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Sydney, an MBA from Henley Business School at the University of Reading in the UK, and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Mr Humphrey has been on the Board of The Infants’ Home for almost five years.
• Ms Olivia Maragna CFP® is Chief Executive of Aspire Retire. She features on the 2019 Barron’s Top 50 Financial Advisers honour roll and presented a Hall of Fame Award for Business Achievement. She is a well-recognised finance commentator and advocate for the financial planning profession. She is the finance columnist for several national newspapers and has a regular finance segment on ABC radio.

Mr Peter Bobbin, Mr Patrick Canion CFP® , FPA CEO Mr Dante De Gori CFP® , Ms Anne Graham CFP® , Ms Alison Henderson CFP® , Mr Joseph Hoe CFP® and Dr Michael Neary CSC continue to serve on the Future2 Board under the ongoing leadership of Ms Petra Churcher AFP® as Chair.

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The finalists are:

• Stephen Nielsen, Ascent Wealth Management, GWM Adviser Services, Queensland
• Jason Fittler, Grow Your Wealth Pty Ltd, Grow Your Wealth Pty Ltd, Queensland
• Joseph Hoe, Wealthwise, Financial Wisdom, Western Australia
• Steve Dobson, Mal Dobson and Associates, Meritum Financial Group, Western Australia
• Christie Rigg, 360 Private, 360 Private Wealth By Design Pty Ltd, South Australia
• Simon Duigan, Main Street Financial Solutions, Fitzpatricks, Tasmania
• Warren Strybosch, Find Wealth, Clearview Financial Advice, Victoria
• Karen Walmsley, Powe Financial, Alliance Wealth, New South Wales

The national winner will be announced at the AFA National Adviser Conference in Canberra October 5-7.

Nick Hakes, General Manager Member Services, Partnerships & Campus AFA said it is encouraging to see so many advisers embracing higher and higher levels of education.

“There is a real shift in the mindset of advisers towards investing in education as a practical way of adapting to the seismic forces that are shaping the financial advice landscape. The candidates for this year’s Award are simply outstanding. Their education journeys demonstrate how education has helped them build not only their own knowledge, attitudes and behaviours, but also the knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of their clients,” he said.

Mr Hakes said this year’s finalists have invested heavily in a broad range of academic disciplines that move beyond the traditional technical areas to include practical business knowledge and emotional intelligence, as well as understanding new technologies and innovations. “It is this kind of broad investment in education that will reshape how we think about adviser education and ultimately help them grow the demand for great advice.”

Asteron Life Head of Intermediaries Mark Vilo said, “In our industry we often emphasise the importance of working on your business and not just working in it. The eight finalists for 2016 have demonstrated this through their broad commitment to study. Ongoing education is a vital ingredient for providing quality advice and, in turn, better client outcomes.”

Finalists of the Award are chosen for their commitment to professional development through continuing education and making a difference within the marketplace and their local community through the practical application of their knowledge and expertise.

Candidates are judged on the quality of their written nomination. Judges then conduct phone interviews with shortlisted candidates. Candidates are also given a weighting across four award criteria, including:

• 50% on formal education
• 30% on practical application of education
• 10% on contribution to one’s industry through education
• 10% on contribution to one’s community through education

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Nick Hakes

The winner of the Association of Financial Advisers (AFA) 2015 Excellence in Education Award (the Award), supported by Asteron Life, will be announced on Monday 26 October at the AFA National Adviser Conference in Cairns. The Award recognises advisers who are continually investing in themselves, their staff and their businesses, to raise professional standards through education.

The 2015 State Winners for the Award, announced throughout the AFA’s National Practitioner Roadshow, are:

• Karen Walmsley, Powe Financial Advice Pty Ltd (NSW)
• Jawad Ahmad, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management (SA)
• Charles Badenach, Main Street Financial Solutions (TAS)
• Lyn Heaysman, Harvest Wealth Pty Ltd (VIC)
• Joseph Hoe, Wealthwise Pty Ltd (WA)
• Tim Hall, Tilea Wealth Pty Ltd (QLD)

Nick Hakes, General Manager Member Services & Campus AFA said the calibre of the state winners reflects the recognition that higher education is one of the keys to delivering great advice to more Australians and positively influencing consumer perceptions of financial advisers.

“This is an exciting time for the financial advice profession. More and more advisers are embracing higher education and using it to demonstrate a point of difference,” he said. “Our state winners encapsulate everything that is great about financial advice – technical knowledge which is expertly applied to empowering the lives of others. This year’s finalists have demonstrated that the investment in education across a broad range of disciplines has made a positive difference to their clients and to their businesses.”

Mr Hakes said all of this year’s nominations were outstanding. “We are very proud of the talent that the Award has recognised to date and we are delighted to continue to partner with Asteron Life to showcase the outstanding attitudes, behaviours, standards and commitment to lifelong learning demonstrated by advisers like these state winners,” he said. “The AFA believes other advisers will be inspired by the state winners to invest in their own education, above and beyond what is required in terms of compliance, in order to ensure that they are giving their clients the best possible experience, while also raising professional standards within the financial advice profession.”

Asteron Life Executive Manager Mark Vilo said education plays a vital role in restoring consumer confidence in the financial planning industry and holds the key to ensuring a thriving future for advisers, life companies and licensees.

“Adviser education standards is a topic that has largely gone under the radar throughout the reform process. This award provides the perfect platform to showcase the level of professionalism and talent that exists in our industry and show to consumers that there is a commitment to ongoing education,” he said.

State winners of the Award are chosen for their commitment to professional development through continuing education and making a difference within the marketplace and their local community through the practical application of their knowledge and expertise.

Candidates are judged on the quality of their written nomination. Judges then conducted phone interviews with shortlisted candidates. Candidates are also given a weighting across four award criteria, including:

• 50% on formal education
• 30% on practical application of education
• 10% on contribution to one’s industry
• 10% on contribution to one’s community

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