Financial Advice New Zealand professional organisation established

This is a supplied media release.

A new professional body is set to bring an unprecedented degree of collaboration, governance and independence to New Zealand’s financial advisory sector. Financial Advice New Zealand has been incorporated and will commence formal operations on July 1, 2018.

Since the announcement of the organisation to the National Advisers Conference in early August, the constitution has been finalised, the association incorporated and the establishment board appointed. The establishment board has set, and begun implementing, a six-month plan to bring the association to life – including developing a quality mark for members; setting terms of reference for member advisory groups; and setting up an establishment budget and funding stream. There are ongoing discussions with all stakeholders towards achieving the larger objectives of the new body.

The establishment board consists of independent directors Sue Brown (chairwoman) and Kate Morrison, along with experienced industry professionals Michael Dowling, Bruce Cortesi and John Bolton, who respectively represent the interests of investment, risk and mortgage advisers. Members of founding bodies will be invited to begin transitioning to Financial Advice New Zealand from March 31, 2018.

The organisation will focus on standards, advocacy and promotion of advice to New Zealand public for the mutual benefit of advisers, consumers and other stakeholders. It will bring new levels of governance to manage the future challenges of being a professional adviser body in this fast-developing area.

Ms Brown says, “The New Zealand financial services market is experiencing an unprecedented rate of change and expects much more change over the coming years. A new, inclusive professional body is needed to respond to this. We acknowledge feedback from some stakeholders that getting the new body up and running has taken too long. But we are confident the major groundwork has been done over the past several months and that the new body is in good shape to hit the ground running.

“The board has been working on finalising incorporation and setting up the infrastructure to bring the new association to life, and we are pleased to now be able to demonstrate our progress to stakeholders across the industry.”

The new membership body sets a high bar for governance and a precedent in the industry for standards, advocacy and promotion of advice in the interests of all parties to financial advisory services.

Ms Brown says, “Financial Advice New Zealand has as its founding document a well-considered constitution that was finalised by the establishment board working group in consultation with advisers and stakeholders throughout the financial services sector.”

Following its incorporation, Financial Advice New Zealand is now executing a six-month plan. A quality mark for financial advisers will be formally presented to the market with a new website early in 2018; the organisation will open for membership applications on March 31; and formal operations will commence on July 1. From November, Financial Advice New Zealand will provide a monthly update to potential members and other stakeholders on its progress toward the July 1 commencement date.