Roland Xu

Roland Xu of Shore Financial Planning in Sydney is the winner of the Gwen Fletcher Memorial Award for Semester 2 2025.

Named after the late ‘First Lady of Financial Planning’, the award is presented by the FAAA and recognises the highest performing student in the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® Certification Unit (CFP C) for each semester, with demonstrable dedication to providing high-quality financial advice. The CFP® designation is the largest and best-recognised financial planning designation globally.

Xu is a financial adviser with Shore Financial and has worked in financial planning for eight years.  He holds a bachelor of applied financial and actuarial studies from Macquarie University.

He says it is incredibly meaningful to be recognised as the Gwen Fletcher Award winner, especially in the context of how much the financial advice profession has changed over the past few years.

“Financial advice in Australia has gone through significant reform and in this changing environment, to be recognised for technical and professional excellence carries real weight.

“It can be easy as advisers to focus on process, compliance and the mechanics of advice, and forget the underlying privilege: that someone has entrusted you with decisions that materially shape their life trajectory. This award felt less like a moment of celebration and more like a reminder of that responsibility.”

The other financial advisers who completed their CFP certification this semester were:

• Andrew Galea
• Brooke Charity
• Damian Scollo
• Elise Marcus
• Harman Dhillon
• Huseyin Djemal
• Jeremy Douglas
• Kym Coleman
• Luis Arguello
• Madeleine Owens
• Mark Grasso
• Mary Ann Almasan
• Mathew White
• Matthew Katunar
• Shannon Victor
• Zaheer Lalani
• Zoe Kennedy
• Daniel Roggero
• Gareth Croy

Xu said that the CFP certification journey reinforces that good advice requires structured thinking, technical depth and strong ethical judgement.

“The CFP program deepens your technical capability and strengthens your judgement and confidence.

“It also connects you with a community of advisers who care about standards and professionalism, and it reinforces that this is a role built on responsibility and trust. It’s an excellent investment into becoming a more thoughtful and capable adviser.”

Anne Palmer, general manager – education at the FAAA, says pursuing the CFP certification can be challenging but it is also a rewarding and powerful way for advisers to show their expertise and dedication.

“CFP certification is the gold standard in financial planning and is a globally recognised designation for those who meet the highest standards of education, experience and ethics.

“On behalf of the FAAA, I congratulate Roland on winning the Gwen Fletcher Award and congratulate our new CFPs, who have shown dedication and professionalism.”

The CFP designation is the most respected financial planning designation globally, with more than 230,648 CFP professionals worldwide. It is a symbol of excellence for financial planners around the world who are actively committed through higher education and accountability to adhering to world-class professional and ethical standards. The CFP designation offers financial planning professionals a way to differentiate themselves in the profession.

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Established in 2014, PFAN is a trusted network of industry professionals who are focused on providing pro bono financial advice to those in need. Currently, PFAN works with the Multiple Sclerosis network throughout Australia, connecting individuals through referral partners to locally based advisers. Advisers registered with PFAN are given the opportunity to take on one pro bono client per year.

PFAN Chair Nicola Beswick said she is delighted that Zurich Assure, Inteprac and Sequoia have joined the PFAN network to help improve the financial wellbeing of people in need.

“Our mission is to help improve the financial wellbeing of Australian’s living with serious illness or disability, by providing pro bono financial advice, and to inspire others to do the same. Through our PFAN adviser network, we’re able to connect advisers with people who need financial advice assistance and are experiencing significant financial hardship because of a personal health crisis.

“Having the support from trusted brands like Zurich Assure, InterPrac and Sequoia enables us to service more clients and ultimately extend our services to others that need our assistance. We also hope to inspire the next generation of advisers and increase awareness of the value that we bring to others through our profession.”

As a market leader in helping advised clients to navigate the insurance claims process, Zurich Assure has offered its support and assistance to the PFAN community.

Head of Zurich Assure Sandhya Maini said: “Recent research conducted by Zurich shows that in the event of an illness or injury impacting their primary income, almost 40 per cent of individuals would only have sufficient financial resources for up to two weeks. In addition, one in three people indicated they had no financial backup plan in these circumstances.

“Seeking and obtaining the right advice at the right time can make a significant and positive difference. For this reason, and consistent with our values as an organisation, Zurich remains committed to helping those most in need.”

Through PFAN, InterPrac and Sequoia’s network of advisers can now register their interest in providing pro bono financial advice.

InterPrac CEO Garry Crole said: “InterPrac and Sequoia are pleased to support those who need advice the most, by participating in this program. In our opinion, the best investment any one can make, is to appoint a financial planner or wealth coach.”

Feedback from advisers who have signed up to the PFAN network have expressed the importance of giving back by offering their professional services in kind to those who need it the most.

Sovereign Advisors Managing Director Zaheer Lalani said: “As trusted professionals in the business of providing financial advice, it is not only suggested but incumbent on us all to share our time and knowledge with those who need us most.”

Border Financial Advice Managing Director Tom Border said: “I understand that financial literacy isn’t necessarily accessible to everyone – it can be costly and involve complicated concepts and legislation. I would like to use the knowledge I’ve gained over 25 years in the industry to help others.”

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