The Association of Financial Advisers (AFA) and Zurich have named the Grand Finalists in the prestigious 2014 AFA Adviser of the Year Award and in its newest award – AFA Practice of the Year.
First awarded in 2003, and supported by Zurich since inception, the AFA Adviser of the Year honour is acknowledged as Australia’s premier advice award. This year heralds a new chapter in the Awards, with the best advice practice to be honoured separately.
AFA CEO, Brad Fox, said the grand finalists for both Awards have been selected after undergoing an intensive 360-degree assessment process with judges recognising education, experience, leadership within the profession, advocacy and innovation. An extensive client survey is part of the judging process as well as a practice visit from one of the judges, and then a final full-day judging showcase.
“As an Association, we are incredibly proud of the financial advisers that have entered the awards. The calibre of grand finalists proves that as a profession, we have a lot to celebrate. Each year, through the rigorous judging process, we get an important reminder that quality advice is still the norm in Australia, and that the very best are world class. Financial advice is first and foremost a service business and our grand finalists are incredible exponents of this.”
The AFA Adviser of the Year Award criteria includes elements such as client service, technical excellence, robustness of advice process, personal adviser qualities, industry contribution and commitment to improving financial literacy. The AFA Practice of the Year Award recognizes the practice’s use of technology, quality of client engagement materials, quality of the client feedback process and also commitment to improved financial literacy of clients and the wider community.
“The Awards represent an opportunity to not only celebrate the professional excellence of the grand finalists, but to also acknowledge the high quality nominations that were made from a significant number of other advisers and practices, all dedicated to improving the lives of their clients,” Mr Fox said. “There is no doubt that the AFA’s ambition of achieving great advice for more Australians is in good hands.”
Mr Philip Kewin, Zurich’s GM Retail Life & Investments noted that, despite the diversity of business models used by this year’s finalists, they all deliver a consistently exceptional customer experience.
“As the premier advice awards, our finalists have always been the vanguards and pioneers of the advice profession,” Mr Kewin said.
“This glimpse into the future of advice and advice practices reveals much diversity and innovation in the ways advice is being made more accessible, and the overriding focus on delivering an exceptional customer experience augurs well for the profession and the community overall,” he said.
The 2014 AFA Adviser of the Year and Practice of the Year will be announced with the support of Zurich at a Gala Dinner on Tuesday, 14 October 2014 at the AFA National Adviser Conference in Cairns.
The grand finalists are:
Adviser of the Year
Catherine Robson – Affinity Private
Eleanor Dartnall – Dartnall Advisers
PJ Byrne – Mr Insurance
Practice of the Year
Complete Financial Balance
Rising Tide Financial Services
Robina Financial Solutions Pty Ltd
