FPI announces 2016 award winners

Godfrey Nti, CEO of FPI.

The Financial Planning Institute (FPI) of Southern Africa hosted its annual Awards Ceremony Gala Dinner last night, where it recognised leaders in the financial planning profession for their outstanding level of professionalism and ethics.

Each year, the Institute honours a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional with the FPI Financial Planner of the Year Award. The award is described as "the industry's equivalent of the Oscars,” launched in 2000, this award is one of the most prominent projects undertaken by FPI.

After a stringent process was followed, Bruce Fleming, CFP®, was announced as the 2016 FPI Financial Planner of the Year. Bruce has been involved in the financial planning industry for approximately 20 years.

“We would like to congratulate Bruce Fleming, CFP®, as the new FPI Financial Planner of the Year for acquiring this title. We acknowledge the level of professionalism and ethics adhered to by Bruce as a CFP® professional. This award recognises the individual with understanding of their role as a financial planning professional as it also showcases the highest standard of financial planning advice provided to their clients,” says Godfrey Nti, CEO of FPI.

“His role as the new FPI and CFP® mark brand ambassador is to continue elevating the financial planning profession. We certainly look forward to working with him in promoting the Institute and the CFP® mark – as well as creating awareness of the value of professional financial planning,” adds Nti.

Francois Le Roux, CFP® and Yolande Botha, CFP®, were named the 2016 FPI Financial Planner of the Year finalists.

Francois has over 15 years’ experience, achieving holistic lifestyle financial planning, in the affluent and high net worth market sectors.

He is a proud mentor to aspiring financial planners in the FPI Mentorship Programme.

Yolande has been a CFP® professional since 2008 and currently holds the position as Head of Wealth Management in the Galileo Capital Wealth Management business.

“It was definitely a tough process, but it’s been worth it in the end. Entering the competition for the third time, I am looking forward to working closely with FPI and continuing to make sure that my role is executed at the highest standards set by the Institute. My role as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional is to help everyday people make the right decisions when it comes to their financial future. I am grateful for this honour” says Bruce Fleming, CFP®.

Other awards and winners on the night were:

The FPI Harry Brews’ Award, recognises the professional who has made a significant life-long contribution to the financial planning profession and FPI. This 2016 award was given to Ester Venter, CFP®.

Acknowledging the outstanding contribution to continually promoting FPI and the CFP® designation in the media, was the 2016 FPI Media Award. The award was presented to Sydney Sekese, CFP®.

For the second year FPI is honouring the CFP® professional who actively communicates the significance of the CFP® designation, and regularly volunteers in FPI’s consumer outreach initiatives. The FPI It Starts With Me Award, was presented to Kobus Kleyn, CFP®, for the second consecutive year for his ongoing contribution to promoting the CFP® mark.

FPI also recognised the student that achieved the highest rating in the FPI CFP® professional competency exams. Best performer, Monique Malan, won the Top Student in the CFP® Professional Competency Exam Award.

“FPI remains committed to improving the standard of financial planning for the benefit of all South Africans. We are proud of the quality of the professionals who entered the competition, making the judging process increasingly challenging,” continues Nti.

“We would also like to congratulate each finalist for being an inspiration in the industry and for continually delivering the best services to their clients. We would like to thank our members for participating and our judges for their time and expertise through the rigorous vetting process. And finally, thank you to our sponsors; Old Mutual Wealth; and to our media partner; for the Financial Planner of the Year Award, Personal Finance; for sponsoring and being part of this initiative as well as for sharing our vision,” concludes Nti.