The CISI says that membership of its Financial Planning Forum has risen 22% since the merger with the IFP from 2,100 to 2,700 – as the body prepares for its annual Financial Planning Conference next week.

The CISI said it was “pleased and excited” to welcome so many new members to the CISI Financial Planning community. Financial Planning membership of the CISI dipped after the merger in 2015 but the organisation says it has since recovered as more of its member firms have added Financial Planner staff, boosting membership of its Financial Planning Forum.

Ahead of the three day annual CISI-IFP Financial Planning Conference - which gets under way at the Celtic Manor Resort in Wales next week - the CISI’s deputy head of Financial Planning Jacqueline Lockie CFP, said great efforts had been made to ensure Financial Planning was at the heart of the event but that other skills were also covered.

She said : “We have a specific wealth management stream in place for Tuesday that has a mix of technical investment sessions along with some Financial Planning takeaways for the increasing number of firms who are putting in place Financial Planning services for their clients.”

The CISI Professional Paraplanner interest group is also represented more visibly this year with its own stand.

The CISI expects 350 Financial Planners, Paraplanners and Wealth Managers to attend the conference plus speakers and exhibitors with “a notable number of first time attendees.”

Ms Lockie, who will take over as head of Financial Planning from Campbell Edgar after the event, will address the conference, sharing her vision for the future of Financial Planning.

Other highlights will include keynotes from Olympic gold medallist Dame Kelly Holmes, former Pensions Minister Sir Steve Webb, and a closing address by Nick Cann CFP, former chief executive of the IFP, a stroke survivor. There will also be dozens of other expert speakers, including many leading Financial Planners and retirement and investment planning experts.

Among the speakers will be two international CFP Professionals from the USA and South Africa. Sophia Bera CFP, founder of Gen Y Planning, will talk about planning for millennials and Gerald Mwandiambira will be speaking on the opportunities and challenges ahead for Financial Planning in Africa.

There is a new Conference app for those attending that allows delegates to select copies of presentations and contact other attendees. The event can also be followed on Twitter on #FPAC17.

As usual, there will be a large exhibition area and the CISI promises “a surprise” in the exhibition hall although is not releasing details ahead of the event. The professional body said there may be some last minute availability of delegate spaces and to check the CISI website for booking details.

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