Sentry Group and Matrix Planning Solutions have won the two top 2019 Licensee of the year gongs, awarded by researcher CoreData on Friday at an event in Sydney.
Meanwhile, Tim Steele, National Australia Bank Financial Planning’s general manager, and Paul Kelly, Futuro Financial Services managing director, were awarded newly created leadership awards – the Industry Leadership and Licensee Leadership awards – respectively.
Following what was recognised by CoreData’s head of market insight, Simon Hoyle, as a tough year for the industry, the awards were presented at a low-key presentation ceremony at the Union, University and Schools Club in Sydney’s CBD in front of a handful of industry peers.
Todd Kardash, ClearView’s general manager of licensee services, collected the award on behalf of Matrix; Sentry CEO David Newman travelled from Perth to collect the award on behalf for his network which was featured recently in Professional Planner.
MLC Advice won the award for Institutionally Branded Licensee of the Year and Matrix Planning Solutions also won the award from Institutionally Affiliated Licensee of the Year, its second gong of the evening.
“If it’s true that it’s never been a tougher time to be a financial adviser, then it’s also true that it’s never been a tougher time to run a licensee business – and there’s never been a more important time for those that run licensee businesses to demonstrate courageous and authentic leadership,” Hoyle said.
“It’s the licensees that support financial advisers and give them the resources and the wherewithal to deliver great advice that the CoreData Licensee of the Year Awards recognise – along with the leaders of licensees as they guide their own businesses, advisers’ businesses and advisers’ clients through some very choppy waters,” he added.
Following are the full results of the 2019 CoreData Licensee of the Year Awards
Industry Leadership Award
Winner: Tim Steele
General manager, NAB Financial Planning and NAB Direct Advice
Licensee Leadership Award
Winner: Paul Kelly
Managing director, Futuro Financial Services
Institutionally Branded Licensee of the Year
Finalists:
AMP Financial Planning
MLC Advice
NAB Financial Planning
Winner: MLC Advice
Institutionally Affiliated Licensee of the Year
Finalists:
Australian Unity Personal Financial Services
Financial Services Partners
Matrix Planning Solutions
Winner: Matrix Planning Solutions
Independently Owned Licensee of the Year
Finalists:
Futuro Financial Services
Synchronised Business Systems
Sentry Group
Winner: Sentry Group
Licensee of the Year
Finalists:
Futuro Financial Services
Matrix Planning Solutions
Sentry Group
Winner: Matrix Planning Solutions
