The 2026 FAAA Awards recognise advisers and practices delivering the highest standards of professional advice to Australian consumers. The awards also acknowledge those who go above and beyond, giving back to their communities through pro bono work and volunteering. Additionally, the awards celebrate the next generation of advisers coming through university programs, recognising the emerging talent that will shape the future of the profession.

FAAA general manger membership and strategic initiatives, Tania Milnes, says this year’s finalists reflect the breadth of talent across the profession.

“The FAAA awards acknowledge those who are truly committed to putting their clients first, supporting their communities, and raising standards across financial advice.

“Each finalist embodies the professionalism and care that defines our profession, whether through their exceptional client work, their leadership within their organisations, their contributions to their local community, or their potential as emerging professionals,” Ms Milnes said.

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

• Scott Quinlan CFP®, Solace Financial
• Dawn Thomas CFP®, The Wealth Designers
• John Versace CFP®, Apt Wealth Partners

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

• Sophie Doyle, Morgans Financial Limited
• Morgan Hayward, Lume Wealth
• Andrea Jenkins CFP®, Jenbury Financial

The finalists for FAAA Risk Adviser of the Year Award are:

• Mark Everingham CFP®, Personal Risk Professionals
• Cameron Peck CFP®, Safeguard Life

The finalists for FAAA Holistic Adviser of the Year Award are:

• Nathan Fradley FChFP, Fradley Advice Pty Ltd
• Charmaine Hall, Unbound Financial

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

• Apt Wealth Partners, VIC
• Oxlade Financial, QLD
• Solace Financial, QLD

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

• Eleanor Bagg CFP®, EJM Advice
• Braden King, Everest Wealth
• Lydia Toghill, Collins SBA

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

• Kayla Bradfield, Swinburne University of Technology
• Linda Connolly, Deakin University
• Jaxon Goddard, Curtin University

Ms Milnes thanked the award supporters, noting their dedication to recognising excellence across the profession.

“We’re grateful for the support of our award sponsors, who share our commitment to advancing standards in financial advice. Their involvement in the awards program reinforces the importance of recognising and celebrating the achievements of the advisers and practices leading the way in our profession.”

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

“What stands out about this year’s finalists across both categories is the dedication, professionalism and client focus they bring to their work every day.

“Being named a finalist is a significant achievement and recognition of the high standards being upheld across the advice profession. The strength of this year’s field reflects the important role advisers play in helping Australians make confident financial decisions, and every finalist should be proud of this 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 impress.

“UniSuper is proud to support the next generation of advice professionals through this award for a third year. With more nominations received than ever before, it is inspiring to see so many emerging professionals recognised for their genuine commitment to the future of financial advice.”

Beau Riley, general manager retail at TAL, sponsor of the FAAA Inspire Women – Excellence in Advice Award, said the finalists are being recognised not only for the quality of advice they deliver, but for the example they set across the profession.

“These finalists show what’s possible when you combine real expertise with genuine care for your clients. Through their leadership, professionalism and commitment to delivering better client outcomes, they’re inspiring others and helping strengthen the future of advice.

“Congratulations to everyone who made the finals. It’s a privilege to see the impact you’re having on your clients, your communities and the industry. Well deserved.”

Tickets to the FAAA Congress 2026 and FAAA Awards Gala Dinner are now available via the FAAA website.

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Launched by sponsor and specialist risk insurer PPS Mutual, who distribute solely through financial advisers, the Risk Practice of the Year Award was established to celebrate the vital role advisers play in achieving quality outcomes for Australians and to recognise advice practices where life insurance sits at the core of the business model, culture and client proposition. Open to firms generating more than 50 per cent of annual new business revenue from life insurance-related business, the award assessed performance across customer excellence, commercial strategy, continuous improvement, cultural strength and industry contribution.

Michael Pillemer, CEO of PPS Mutual, said Personal Risk Professionals exemplified the intent and purpose of the award.

“Risk advice has never been more complex or more important. The profession is operating under intense regulatory and operational pressure, yet advisers continue to play a critical role in protecting Australians at their most vulnerable moments.

“In that context, we congratulate Personal Risk Professionals on being named the 2026 PPS Mutual Risk Practice of the Year. While the other finalists showed notable excellence across particular dimensions – namely client and claims advocacy, adviser development and community contribution – the independent panel judged that PRP was the most complete and robust example when assessed against all criteria as a whole. The panel also placed strong weight on PRP’s active involvement in industry association committees, regulator forums, and insurer advisory boards, as well as their participation in parliamentary engagement in Canberra to explain the impact of reforms on advisers and advocate for the strengthening of the profession,” Pillemer continued.

“The judging panel also noted the high calibre of finalists, reflecting the depth of capability and commitment across the specialist risk advice profession and the high standard of advice being delivered nationally,” Pillemer noted.

Mark Everingham, Managing Director and Partner of Personal Risk Professionals, said the award was a reflection of the firm’s values and the trust placed in the team by clients and professional partners.

“Being named PPS Mutual Risk Practice of the Year is an incredibly humbling moment for our entire team. This award represents far more than professional recognition – it reflects the trust our professional partners and clients place in us, particularly at the most vulnerable moments of their lives, and the values that have guided Personal Risk Professionals since day one: hope, kindness, bravery and honesty.

“The advice industry has faced profound change over the past decade – regulatory reform, rising complexity and a growing shortage of specialist risk advisers. To be recognised in this environment reinforces our belief that high-quality life insurance advice, delivered with genuine care and strong claims advocacy, remains critical to protecting Australian families and businesses,” Everingham said.

“We’re deeply proud of our people, our culture and our contribution to strengthening the profession, and we’re excited about the future as we continue to invest in the next generation of specialist risk advisers and raise the standard of advice across our industry,” Everingham concluded.

As part of the award, PRP will participate in Q&A sessions at each event on the Riskinfocus 26 Risk Advice CPD Tour, Australia’s premier life insurance professional development program, sharing insights with advisers nationwide.

PPS Mutual is supported by PPS South Africa, the largest multi-disciplinary group of professionals in the world and the largest mutual company in South Africa since the 1940s – sharing over $3 billion in profits with Members over the last 10 years. PPS Mutual is owned by its Australian Members who share in the profits of the products that they buy.

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‘ASIC has extensive engagement with participants in the financial advice sector as well as financial advice industry bodies and consumer organisations. We saw benefit in extending our interaction with this sector through the establishment of a committee made up of practising advisers,’ said ASIC Deputy Chairman Peter Kell.

The Financial Advisers Consultative Committee (FACC) will supplement ASIC’s existing engagement with the financial advice industry by:

• contributing to our understanding  of issues in the financial advice industry, including those directly impacting on practising advisers;
• improving ASIC’s  capacity to identify, assess and respond to emerging trends in the financial advice industry.

The members of the FACC are practising financial advisers with a range of skills drawn from the following areas:

• investment;
• insurance;
• superannuation;
• self-managed superannuation funds; and
• digital financial advice.

The FACC will provide ASIC with views on a broad range of issues relating to the financial advice industry.

FACC Members

The initial members of the FACC are: Craig Banning, Jennifer Brown, Chris Brycki, Steven Dobson, Mark Everingham, Tony Gillett, Adam Goldstien, Cathryn Gross, Suzanne Haddan and Kevin Smith.

Deputy Chairman Peter Kell said, ‘The establishment of this committee is part of ASIC’s ongoing commitment to enhancing its engagement with its stakeholders.’

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Wayne Handley

Bombora Advice (Bombora) Managing Director, Wayne Handley, has announced that Queensland headquartered life risk specialist Personal Risk Professionals (PRP) has joined the boutique dealer group.

PRP was established in Brisbane by Mark Everingham in 2009 to provide solutions and strategies for business owners, professionals and senior executive clients to address their complex estate planning, business succession and risk protection requirements.

Mark is an Accredited Estate Planning Specialist, Life Risk Specialist, Certified Financial Planner and passionate advocate of risk protection and the benefits it and the financial services industry in general, provide to all Australians.

Today, with a dedicated team of risk specialists, PRP services a growing client base in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.

The PRP business model utilises collegiate and collaborative relationships with accountants, lawyers and other professional advisers to develop and implement action plans and structures for clients that seek to ensure business succession, estate continuity, retirement and wealth creation aspirations have appropriate risk protection with supporting legal documentation.

Although disappointed to leave his dealer group of five years and most appreciative of their service and support, Mark felt the Bombora offering was an exceptional opportunity.

In welcoming PRP to Bombora, Wayne Handley said there were many factors that Mark Everingham considered, but ultimately, it was the non-aligned boutique business model and dedicated risk focussed marketplace offering that underpinned his decision to join the group.

“The need for Australians to protect their wealth and create certainty for themselves, their businesses, families and intended beneficiaries has never been more important and complex,” said Mark Everingham.

“We therefore felt it was imperative for PRP’s future and client service offering that the practice needed to be incorporated within a specialist dealer group infrastructure – and Bombora met all our requirements.”

Early last year, Wayne Handley identified the need and demand for a boutique alternative to the traditional dealer group model and after extensive research and analysis, established Bombora Advice.  The risk focussed dealer group officially commenced business in September.

Handley’s aim was to create a fresh, innovative, advice-led business that was dedicated to working in harmony with fellow, like-minded professionals.

“Nothing has changed since Bombora started, in fact our values and key points of difference continue to resonate as the industry settles into the modern FoFA era,” said Wayne Handley.

“Nor has the Bombora business model waivered from a focus on productive relationships, managed growth and building an organisation based on ‘sharing value’.”

Founding equity partner, Melbourne based Complete Risk Analysis (CRA) was the first practice to join Bombora as word of mouth spread about the boutique dealer group and its aspirations to engage and support the needs of risk professionals.

Wayne Handley confirmed that Mark Everingham and PRP were also founding equity partners of Bombora.

Mark Everingham continued, “I believe that Bombora’s collegiate environment that encourages and facilitates the sharing of ideas, experiences and knowledge will be of immense long term benefit to PRP.  Furthermore, I have no doubt that other specialist risk practitioners will find the Bombora marketplace offering very attractive.”

With PRP joining CRA as Bombora practices, Wayne Handley advised that discussions with two more practices were close to being finalized and he expected to announce their signing with the group next month.

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