FPI announce winner at Gala Dinner
The Financial Planner of the Year 2008 was announced last evening at the Annual Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa (FPI) Gala Dinner in Midrand, near Johannesburg.
Co-presented by the FPI and Personal Finance magazine, this year’s award went to John Campbell. John qualified with a B.Comm from Rhodes University in 1993. He spent a year as a consultant at Southern life in which he qualified with a CFP. In 1995 John formed an independent financial planning business which he merged with Barclay Hoar’s business in 2000 to form Chartered Wealth Solutions. In 2003 Chartered Wealth focused its business on Personal Financial Planning and moved their employee benefits and short term insurance business into separate companies. Over the following few years Chartered Wealth Solutions changed from a commission-based business to a fee-based business and today advises on assets in excess of one billion Rand. John is also a Director and Shareholder in Chartered Employee Benefits and Kapara Insurance Brokers (short term insurance). Chartered Wealth Solutions employs over 30 staff and has offices in Illovo, Johannesburg. Chartered Wealth Solutions helps clients achieve their lifestyle goals throughout retirement. John was a Finalist in the 2007 Financial Planner of the Year Competition, he has presented at the Financial Planning club and written a number of articles for the media. He is married to Angela and spends most of his spare time with his four children and enjoys the occasional games of golf and tennis.
Jointly sponsored by the Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa and the magazine Personal Finance, the adjudication process starts with the completion of an application form which includes a sample case study submitted by the applicant. The case study was prepared by Mr Marius Botha. This was a particularly difficult and complex case study and carried 45% of the total marks. The case study was marked by five independent adjudicators who mark them individually without any collaboration. They are all experts at a specialist level within the profession. The finalists then undergo a site visit at their offices by a panel who use a list of criteria to assess the entrant’s practice from every aspect, The five-member panel included Wendy Hattingh from FSB. The site visit is key in the whole process and carries 35% of the total marks. Emphasis was placed on Practice Management. The final stage was a panel interview consisting of the Board and senior members of the FPI. This carried 20% of the total marks.
The Financial Planner of the Year Award is the highest accolade a financial planner can obtain.
As the national winner, Campbell will be profiled in Personal Finance, as well as other media; he gets the FPI Financial Planner of the Year Award trophy; he will be featured as an ambassador for the FPI over the next year giving regional talks and presentations; and receives a trip to an international CFP® conference of choice.
The FPI also acknowledges the runners-up for the Financial Planner of the Year Award 2008:
Arno Burger hails originally from the Free State. His career started in the insurance field progressing to his real start as an independent financial planner in 1992. His practice grew from an office in Welkom to opening a Pretoria office in 1999. He completed a UNISA course in estate administration, followed by a post graduate diploma in Financial Planning through the University of the Free State in 2003. Today Arno, who is passionate about financial planning, is the managing director of FIDIUS, a fee based financial planning practice in Pretoria where he consults to clients and carries out his mission to positively influence people.
Spalding Fourie has a varied background encompassing training and education, human resources, sales and marketing and is currently a specialist investment planner at First National Bank Investment Product House. At FNB Spalding has established an independent investment planning service function as well as his current duties where he compiles and presents solutions driven strategic investment plans for FNB ‘Premier’ clients. An avid golfer, Spalding is a CFP® professional, holds a B. Com Business Economics, Honns. Industrial Psychology, M. Com. Personnel Management, and Post Graduate Diploma in Financial Planning.
Other finalists were:
· Barry O'Mahony
· Alec Riddle
· Reg Thomson
