Dozens of people have already booked their place for the IFP Conference 2014 after the success of this year's "best ever" sell-out event which attracted more than 600 attendees.
The three day event, held this year at the Celtic Manor Resort, near Newport, South Wales, attracted more than 600 including almost 400 Financial Planners, Paraplanners and wealth managers.
Next year's event will take place from 6-8 October at Celtic Manor again. There was a special booking offer for conference delegates for the 2014 event and dozens have already booked their place.
This year's event has received acclaim for the quality of the sessions and IFP interim chief executive Steve Gazzard said he was "overhwhelmed" by the positive feedback for the event.
The event, lead sponsored by AXA Wealth and Architas, has received positive reviews for the keynote addresses, seminars and other.
Highlights included top keynote speakers, a Las Vegas-themed Gala Dinner evening and an appearance from Nick Cann, IFP chief executive, who is recovering from stroke.
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Tina Weeks, conference committee chair, said: "This year's conference was the best ever and I have had so many people come up to me to tell me what an amazing time they had and much they gained from attending the conference.
"Myself and the rest of the events committee (as well as the IFP team) tried our best to put together a programme that was interesting, educational and fun for as many people as possible.
"One IFP member said to me that when he initially looked at the programme he wasn't sure if it would all be relevant for him but he was over the moon that he did go as he has learned so much and all of it was brilliant.
"There's a buzz and atmosphere around the IFP conference that I haven't seen at any other event. Everyone feels 'part of the family' and is welcomed. And it's in this friendly environment that magic happens!"
This was the year when social media became a key part of the conference and there was a huge volume of Tweets using the hashtag #ifpconf – over 1400 Tweets were sent.
Among the other highlights were:
• keynote speeches from international and nationally-known speakers such as leading Financial Planning guru Bill Bachrach from the US, Former MI5 head Dame Eliza Manningham-Buller and the "standards guy" Derek Mills, who closed the conference
• More than 60 exhibitors took part including major financial and investment providers, many of them new to conference and there was an exhibition "fringe" event featuring 'soapbox' speakers
• More than 80 speakers for every section of the Financial Planning community including Accredited Financial Planning firms and Paraplanners
President Rebecca Taylor's choice to support The Stroke Association as this year's charity during the gala dinner was also very much applauded. The final total raised is expected to be significant, as the gala dinner crowd dug deep into their pockets to support the worthy cause following a powerful and highly emotive speech from 24 year old Annabelle Jones who herself suffered a stroke at a young age. The total raised will be announced shortly.
Steve Gazzard, interim chief executive, said: "I'm overwhelmed by the huge amount of positive feedback and thanks we've received from those who have attended the IFP annual conference over the past few days.
"It's such a great event and we're so pleased that so many people have found it valuable. We've always worked hard to ensure that this event lives up to the high expectations of IFP members, in particular, providing them with opportunities to develop the all important skills they need to run successful, profitable businesses. "We're incredibly proud to represent the Financial Planning community which, from all the evidence I have seen this week, is clearly thriving. It's great to see so many people who are proud to call themselves IFP members and proud to be part of this community.
"On behalf of the whole IFP team, I thank everyone who has helped us to make this event such a success this week. As our conference chair Tina Weeks put it on the main stage earlier today "It's our best conference yet". Work will start immediately on preparing to make the 2014 event even better still!"
• Don't miss our conference gallery coming shortly online plus extended conference coverage in the next issue of Financial Planner magazine to be published in mid-October