The Institute of Financial Planning is today holding its Accredited Financial Planning Firms Conference.
For the first time the major annual event is being held at Sopwell House in St Albans.
We will be reporting and tweeting live throughout the conference so stay on Financial Planner Online for more coverage.
Guests will register at 8.30am and the line up is then as follows:




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9am – Welcome from IFP chief executive Steve Gazzard CFP^CM

9.05 am - Beating the Private Banks in HNW
Stewart Sanderson & Robert Poulten, Seven Investment Management discuss:
-why clients are leaving private banks and what the potential opportunity is for professional intermediaries
-how to improve your service offering and the changes you can make to gain more HNW clients

9.35am - Brand development: Do your clients have a relationship with you or your brand? Talk by Lucian Camp, Lucian Camp Consulting.

10.05am – Exit stage left - talk by Rob Stevenson, Kingmakers
In this case study-based session on exit strategies, Rob will set out 'what good looks like' on deal day and the key milestones leading up to and after exit.

10.55am - Don't fall asleep reading the financial plan: Talk by Kevin Deamer CFPCM, KMD Private Wealth Management LL.
As Financial Planners we might just about stay awake long enough to finish reading through a client's 60 to 80 page Financial Plan Report but the client, who is the end user, will not. KMD thinks there is another way, a way of keeping the document 'alive'.

11.25am – VAT update Paul Farr, Deloitte UK
Paul will provide an update on the different approaches taken by firms, the pros and cons of each and future changes possible to intermediation exemptions. Paul will also take a look at possible future developments including RDR2, rumours around HMRC guidance on platform charges and SIPPs.

11.40am – Staff recruitment, retention & development panel session.
The panel will given an insight into a number of key issues relating to staff including the importance of job specifications, career development, apprenticeships, graduate recruitment and more.

[Facilitator] Melony Holman CFP^CM
Stephen Jones,
Dawn Pearce
Steve Martin CFP^CM
John Baker,

1.10pm –Benchmarking: what makes Accredited Financial Planning Firms so special?
Phil Billingham CFP^CM discusses why Accredited Firms are clearly the market leaders and early adopters of the Financial Planning.

1.50pm - Examining the role of leadership and the function of management
- a talk by Tom Cannon, Professor of Strategic Development at the University of Liverpool

3pm - Round table discussions: The round tables are information sharing sessions where delegates have the opportunity to discuss key issues in a small group setting. These sessions allow participants to engage in in-depth discussions and learn both from the experts and each other.

4.30pm - Close