Most recently, Mr Hondros was Chief Executive Officer at Porter Davis Homes, an award-winning Melbourne-based construction company. Prior to that, he was Executive General Manager at Commonwealth Bank’s Private Bank division, where he chaired the Investment Committee and the Commonwealth Private Ltd Board. He has also held senior leadership roles in the financial planning divisions at NAB, MLC and IOOF.

As part of his appointment to the Board, Mr Hondros will serve as Chair of the Count Financial Investment Committee and also as a Member of the Count Financial Audit and Risk Committee.

CountPlus CEO, Hugh Humphrey, said that Adrian Hondros’ appointment was a fantastic addition to the Count Financial Board.

“Adrian’s resume clearly speaks for itself and I’m delighted that he has joined our Board of Directors. His experience in financial services and history of delivering strategic leadership will be vital in continuing our success and supporting our national community of Member firms.”

Mr Hondros’ appointment takes effect from Monday 1 August 2022.

Retirement of Bruce Foy from Count Financial Board

Mr Hondros’ appointment coincides with the retirement of Bruce Foy from the Count Financial Board, after nearly three years’ service as a Director. Prior to that, he also served as a Director for Total Financial Solutions, a CountPlus-owned licensee.

Count Financial Board Chair, Mark Rantall, paid tribute to the important role Mr Foy played in the transformation of Count Financial since the change of ownership in 2019.

“The need for leadership during a period of transition can’t be underestimated. Bruce brought wisdom, experience and tremendous insight to our business when we needed it the most. He also brought maturity to our investment philosophy and as a result, our advisers now have access to a wider range of products and services to support their clients’ best interests. We are grateful for Bruce’s contribution and wish him all the best for the future.”

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Mr Rantall, who served as FPA CEO from July 2010 to February 2016, has provided an invaluable advisory role to the FPA as a Board member since then.

Newly appointed Board member Jane Bowd, who is a non-elected, independent director will commence on 1 March 2018. She is currently the Group Company Secretary & Corporate Counsel at Coca-Cola Amatil.

FPA Chair Neil Kendall CFP® said, “On behalf of the FPA Board and all our members, I sincerely thank Mark for his dedication to the financial planning profession and his commitment to the FPA.

“He has been with us on our journey to reach higher education and advice standards, and has tirelessly campaigned to ensure both members and consumers benefit from proposed industry and government reforms.

He has also helped grow both the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® mark and number of CFP® professionals in Australia.

“I am also very pleased to welcome Jane Bowd to the FPA Board. Jane brings deep knowledge and expertise in legal and governance matters from her prior financial services roles, and private practice.”

Ms Bowd holds a Graduate Diploma of Applied Corporate Governance, Master of Laws, Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice, Bachelor of Laws, Bachelor of Arts, and is a graduate of the Royal Military College Duntroon.

The announcement of Ms Bowd’s new position follows the election of Michelle Tate-Lovery CFP® to the FPA Board, and the re-election to the Board of Marisa Broome CFP® and Delma Newton CFP® in late November 2017.

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Dante De Gori

The Financial Planning Association of Australia (FPA) former General Manager of Policy and Conduct, Dante De Gori, has officially taken over as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the FPA.

Mark Rantall, CEO since 2010, will remain on the FPA Board as a non-executive director.

An internal appointment, Mr De Gori has been integral in representing the financial planning profession through key reforms including the Future of Financial Advice (FoFA), raising of education and professional standards and the enshrinement of the term financial planner into law, due on 1 July. Mr De Gori led policy at the FPA from 2010 and becomes thesecond CEO in the FPA’s history to hold the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® designation after Mr Rantall.

Commenting on his transition to CEO, Mr De Gori said: “I am honoured to be appointed as FPA CEO. As we transition into a respected profession I’ll continue to work with our members, Government and other key stakeholders towards a better financial future for all Australians.

“In many ways it’s business as usual at the FPA. Our focus, dedication and drive to secure the right outcomes remains the same. Building consumer trust is a high priority and something I am personally passionate about.

“Building consumer trust is not a short term challenge but it is key to financial planning as a profession – and in the best interests of the many Australians who need financial advice.

“Less than one in five Australians access financial advice despite the fact that financial advice contributes positively to those who receive it. In my view, this is far too low.

“The year ahead will undoubtedly bring regulatory challenges, particularly around the implementation and transition process of the new education requirements. I am very aware of the concerns our members have about current proposals. The FPA will continue to work closely with Government, to ensure that collectively, our voice is heard.

“With so much uncertainty, one of my key priorities is to ensure FPA members are supported through the changes. We will continue to do this through timely updates, practical resources, events such as the FPA National Roadshow, webinars and social media.

“I will be encouraging more feedback from members, with a view to using this feedback to get better and better at what we do.

“I want to thank Mark Rantall for his dedication and leadership. Mark has been instrumental in driving the positive changes taking place in our profession. I look forward to building on his legacy,” said Mr De Gori.

The FPA Policy team continues to expand, with the appointment of Benjamin Marshan CFP® as FPA Manager of Professional Standards and Advocacy and Dimitri Diamantes CFP® as FPA Policy Manager.

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Mark Rantall

The Financial Planning Association of Australia (FPA) is connecting more consumers with FPA members via its enhanced ‘Find a Planner’ tool.

The ‘Find a Planner’ directory enables consumers to search for a local financial planner. The latest enhancements now enable consumers to contact financial planners directly, through a new ‘Send a Message’ feature. Financial planners can now also personalise their profile by uploading a photograph.

“Our environment is undergoing rapid technological change, with research showing that for those seeking advice, online sources are the second most popular source of information after family and friends[1],” said FPA CEO Mark Rantall.

“It’s therefore important that we evolve to offer new opportunities that ensure Australians can easily engage with financial planners in a way that suits them best, in this case from a PC, tablet or mobile phone. Prominently displayed on the new FPA website, the Find a Planner tool is now fully mobile responsive, providing visitors with a better experience.
“We know that many Australians don’t know where to find high quality financial advice. The latest features make it easy for consumers to interact with a financial planner they can trust.

“I encourage CFP® professionals and Financial Planner AFP® members to update their Find a Planner profile by uploading a photo and summary about themselves today. We have developed a simple guide to help members do this, and this can be found in the Member Centre.

“The FPA vision, ‘Through our members, we stand with Australians for a better financial future’ is something the FPA lives and breathes every single day. We see our latest technological upgrade as another important step towards helping Australians build a better financial future.” said Mr Rantall.

Find a Planner can be found at www.fpa.com.au/find-a-planner

———

[1] FPA Investment Trends research: Investment Trends 2014 Advice & Limited Advice Report

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Mark Rantall

The Financial Planning Association of Australia (FPA) has welcomed the Government’s move to enshrine higher educational and professional standards for financial planners in legislation, but has cautioned some elements are “not workable”.

Minister for Small Business and Assistant Treasurer, the Hon Kelly O’Dwyer has released the draft legislation, which is a response to the Government’s Financial Services Inquiry, as part of a round of public consultation before it is considered by Parliament.

Under the proposed changes new financial planners will require a degree, undertake a professional year, pass an exam and together with existing financial planners they will be required to sign up to a code of ethics.
An independent, industry-established body will be created from 1 July next year and will set education standards for existing planners who will be given until 1 July 2019 to complete an appropriate degree equivalent, if they do not already hold one.

FPA CEO Mark Rantall said the draft legislation was a good starting point and he looked forward to consulting further with the Government to improve the details.

“There are elements of the draft legislation that can be amended to better align it with the policy objective of a professional framework. In particular, the FPA is concerned about the proposal to require planners to sign up to a code of ethics, without having to do so as part of a professional body.

“This would create an inherent unworkable conflict for planners as they would be required to follow the code at the same time as sanctioning themselves for any breaches. This change would also not improve on the model we have today.

“The FPA has data that proves financial planners who are not subject to a professional framework through membership of a professional body are 90 times more likely to be involved in ASIC banning and enforcement action,” he added.

Mr Rantall said the FPA was also concerned about the proposed transition period for existing financial planners to meet higher educational standards.

“Giving existing financial planners only two years to complete a degree or equivalent is not workable. The meaning of ‘equivalent qualification’ also needs to be clarified to include professional qualifications such as the CFP® designation. The FPA will be advocating for appropriate recognition of our members who have completed higher levels of training and qualifications than those required by the law.

“We strongly believe there is a unique opportunity for the Government to set the right foundations for the development and growth of an independent financial planning profession that will truly serve and protect the interests of Australian consumers in the next decade and beyond.

“The enshrinement of the term financial adviser/planner will further protect consumers and provide ASIC with the necessary penalty provisions to stop unauthorised individuals from misrepresenting themselves and exploiting consumers.

“The establishment of an independent body to develop and oversee the education framework is welcome and long overdue,” Mr Rantall concluded.

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Mark Rantall

The Financial Planning Association of Australia (FPA) and ING DIRECT yesterday announced the launch of a pilot national advice referral program that will connect ING DIRECT Living Super customers with FPA Professional Practices across the country.

The nine-month pilot commences next month and will be available to ING DIRECT Living Super customers who have asked for comprehensive financial advice from a CFP® professional within an FPA Professional Practice.

Tim Hewson, National Partnership Manager, Residential and Wealth, ING DIRECT, said the partnership is launching at a time when retirement planning is increasingly on the radar for all Australians.

“In recent years we’ve seen an uptick in super consolidation and switching and increased demand for transparency and control. Australians want to get ahead with their super, which aligns with our proposition about helping our customers to get ahead through value, fairness and transparency.

“We see professional, independent, face-to-face financial advice as increasingly important to our customers in preparing for retirement, and we’re delighted to be able to offer this service as more Australians take up Living Super.”

Mark Rantall, FPA CEO, said he is delighted with the partnership the FPA has developed with a major retail fund.

“The ING DIRECT partnership agreement has been modelled on the successful Cbus advice referral program and will help the FPA open more pathways to connect Australians to quality financial advice.

“I am very happy that we have been able to reach this agreement with ING DIRECT as it strengthens our ties with the superannuation sector and brings us one step closer to achieving the FPA’s vision that through our members, we stand with Australians for a better financial future.”

The cost of the first FPA adviser consultation will be at no cost for Living Super customers. Only a limited number of places for FPA Professional Practices will be available in the pilot stage. Initial participation in the pilot referral program will be limited, based on geographic requirements.

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Mark Rantall

Australians are twice as likely to turn to family and friends for information (41%) on financial matters and planning as they are to turn to a professional financial planner (23%), according to a global study by the Financial Planning Standards Board (FPSB), in conjunction with the Financial Planning Association of Australia (FPA).

The survey found that as well as relying less on planners and websites for financial information compared to people in other countries, 70% of Australians did not know who to trust when it came to arranging in financial matters, compared to 66% globally.

The survey was conducted by GfK, a global research firm with extensive experience in the financial services sector. Overall, 19,092 consumers who were either primary or shared household financial decision-makers participated in 19 territories around the world.

The results of the survey, which was conducted online during Q2 and Q3 2015, provided the following key findings for Australia:

• Consumers lack confidence in achieving their financial goals. Compared to the global average, fewer Australians feel strong confidence in their ability to achieve their financial life goals (16% vs. 22% globally). Fewer Australians feel strong confidence in their “financial know-how” (14% vs. 17% globally), and only 16% feel strongly successful sticking to their financial strategies, compared to 19% globally.
• Like consumers globally, being debt free is also most important to Australians. However, Australians place a higher priority on being free of major financial debt (62%) and free of common consumer debt (59%) than the global average (55% and 54% respectively). Australians place about the same level of priority on being prepared for an unexpected financial emergency (49% vs. 52% globally) and on home ownership (53% vs. 52% globally).
• Australian consumers are interested in financial planning services to help them get on track financially. In Australia, consumers consider budgeting and debt management (37%) and retirement planning (35%) to be the most helpful services. Globally, retirement planning ranks highest at 50%, while investment planning ranks second, at 38%. Budgeting and debt management rank third at 36%.
• However, most rely on friends and family – not professional financial planners – for information on financial matters and planning. Four in 10 (41%) of Australian consumers rely on friends and family (compared to 44% globally), while another 30% rely on websites for financial information (compared to 41% globally). Fewer Australians (23%) turn to a financial planner, compared with 31% globally.
• Knowing whom to trust is the biggest barrier to working with a financial professional. Most Australians (64%) say trustworthiness is a very important consideration when choosing a financial planner (compared to 68% globally), while 70% of Australians say they don’t know whom to trust (compared to 66% globally).
• Those who work with a CFP® professional generally feel better prepared to achieve their financial goals. In Australia, 35% of consumers who work with a CFP professional strongly agree that they are confident they will achieve their financial life goals, compared to 24% of those working with any financial professional, and just 10% who do not work with a professional. This supports a global trend toward greater confidence among those who work with a CFP professional.
• Consumers think financial planning should be regulated. While slightly more than half of the Australian respondents are unsure whether financial planning is regulated (54%), 83% feel it is very or somewhat important that it be regulated. That compares to 41% globally who are unsure, and 79% globally who feet it is very or somewhat important to regulate financial planning.

FPA CEO Mark Rantall, CFP®, said, “The survey reaffirms our own findings and validates our strategy of lifting education and professional standards of professional financial planners to help earn the trust of more Australians.

“With 5,500 CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professionals in Australia the FPA has an incredible opportunity to help Australians take control of their finances, be more confident and secure in their financial decisions, and have greater financial wellbeing,” Mr Rantall, CFP® said.

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Mark Rantall

The Financial Planning Association of Australia (FPA) has confirmed Perth as the venue for its 2016 FPA Professionals Congress after this year’s event exceeded expectations.

The two-and-a-half day Congress at the Brisbane Convention Centre attracted almost 1,000 delegates from around the country. The event created a buzz on social media and the #FPACongress conversation trended in Australia as the fifth most popular topic on Twitter.

FPA CEO Mark Rantall said the new TED-style format of keynote sessions, the mix of inspiring speakers, the range of topics at the event’s 24 workshops and the conference theme of ‘Shaping Futures’ had all generated extremely positive feedback.

“This year’s Professionals Congress came at a critical time for the profession, following the Government’s agreement to enshrine higher educational and professional standards for financial planners in legislation next year, the settling of Life Insurance reform measures and growing debate on the impact of ‘robo’ advice on practitioners, as well as consumers.

“The majority of attendees were practising financial planners and the feedback tells us that our delegates received the inspiration, guidance and development they were looking for.

“This year’s Congress united us as a profession and provided a heightened sense of purpose around the continued lifting of standards. It has also helped shift our perspective on how we can embrace change and service a wider range of consumers, which is of course the end goal.” Mr Rantall said.

The following responses are just some of the comments included in the Congress feedback survey:

• “One of the best conferences I’ve attended” – Phil Sgangarella CFP®
• “Attending an FPA Congress influences and drives you to strive for the best for your clients and your business. Most of all, it reminds you about what you do for society and makes you proud to be a Financial Adviser” – Dean Van Zyl AFP®
• “Congress gave me the time away from the business to focus on the next phase and innovation, so we can continually improve and renew. I left feeling inspired, motivated and proud to be in the industry” – Svetlana Vrzovski CFP®

More than 73 percent of attendees downloaded the FPA Congress app to keep up-to-date on Congress information and take part in a live conversation with other delegates. Over $200,000 has been raised for Future2 at this year’s FPA Professionals Congress, Future2 Gala Dinner and Future2 Wheel Classic, reflecting outstanding commitment and effort from the FPA community.

More than $115,000 was awarded in grants to community not-for-profits during the Future2 Gala Dinner event.

During the Congress, it was announced that CEO Mark Rantall would step down at the end of February 2016. The FPA Board recognised Mr Rantall’s achievements during five years as FPA CEO, by granting him life membership of the association.

It was also announced that FPA General Manager, Policy & Conduct Dante De Gori would take over as FPA CEO from 1 March 2016.

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Dante De Gori

The Board of the Financial Planning Association (FPA) announced yesterday that senior FPA executive Dante De Gori will take over as Chief Executive Officer when the current CEO Mark Rantall steps down from the role to focus on non-executive director positions at the end of February 2016.

Speaking at the opening of the FPA Professionals Congress in Brisbane, Chair of the FPA Board, Mr Neil Kendall, praised Mr Rantall for advancing the cause of professionalism in the financial planning industry during a period of significant change.

Mr Kendall said that after a rigorous executive search the Board’s choice was based on Mr De Gori having the most suitable blend of expertise, experience and passion to lead the FPA during the next chapter of its journey.

The appointment of an internal candidate is a first in the FPA’s history. Mr De Gori will be the second CEO to hold the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® designation in the FPA’s history after Mr Rantall.

“In five years Mark Rantall has led a team that effectively transformed the FPA into the leading professional body it is today – trailblazing the journey to higher educational and advice standards; tirelessly campaigning to ensure both members and consumers benefit from proposed industry and government reforms; and growing both the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® brand and number of CFP® professionals in Australia.

“The Board recognised Mark’s achievements today with the award of life membership of the FPA. We are looking forward to further acknowledging Mark’s contribution prior to him stepping down in February 2016,” Mr Kendall added. Mr Rantall has agreed to stay on the FPA Board as a non-executive director.

Mr Kendall said the Board recognised the value of having a CEO who is a CFP® professional, and who really understands the work financial planners do, and the macro policy and industry environment in which they operate.

“Dante has worked as the FPA General Manager of Policy and Conduct since 2010. He has a deep understanding of the FPA, our policies, government and industry relationships and our members. Dante shares the Board’s mission to build the profession of financial planning.

“We are well advanced on this journey and have received strong government support. The next step is the delivery and implementation of legislative changes, the continued growth in professionalism and continuing to build trust with consumers.

“Dante, with his experience, knowledge and passion for the profession, is ideally qualified to lead the organisation as we stand with Australians for a better financial future.”

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Mark Rantall

The financial planning community gathers in Brisbane this week for the 2015 annual Financial Planning Association of Australia (FPA) Professionals Congress, running from tomorrow to 20 November.

Mark Rantall, CEO of the FPA, said the Professionals Congress brought together Australia’s largest community of professional financial planners to discuss how financial planning practitioners can equip themselves to stay ahead in a rapidly changing landscape.

“This year’s Congress theme ‘Shaping Futures’ is about uniting financial planners, and inspiring them with new insights and strategies on how to shape the future – for their business, clients and the profession.
“The Congress theme is particularly pertinent as our profession prepares to adapt to legislative and technological change, and embrace the opportunities that come with these.

“This event has been developed by planners, for planners, and includes a robust program of 24 workshops under four revamped themes: expand, grow, engage and inspire.

“We are especially excited about the new TED-style format of this year’s keynote sessions, which feature a stellar line-up of business leaders ready to share inspirational stories, and leading financial planners who have their own insights to share. We also look forward to welcoming other high calibre speakers such as futurist Chris Riddell and award-winning journalist Jennifer Byrne,” said Mr Rantall.

Delegates at this year’s event have been invited to download the FPA Professionals Congress event app to access their e-ticket and information on the program, speakers and various functions taking place throughout the event. The app also provides delegates with the ability to participate in a live conversation with other delegates at the event.

Almost 1,000 guests are expected to attend the three-day Congress. Attendees can earn CPD hours across a broad range of keynote sessions and workshops, which cover technical topics, best practice solutions, leadership and personal development skills.

The world-class Queensland Ballet will deliver a short performance at the Future2 Gala Dinner on the evening of 19 November, which is the signature social event of the FPA Professionals Congress. Mao’s Last Dancer will also deliver a short presentation on the night.

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