The IFP conference officially opened today with an ambitious and forward-looking keynote speech from Marlene Shalton FIFP CFP^CM, President of the IFP.

The speech marked the start of the biggest Financial Planning event in the UK.

More than 600 delegates and exhibitors are in attendance at the event, held at the Celtic Manor Resort in South Wales.

Ms Shalton spoke about her first year as president, what has been achieved and what she hopes to achieve in the coming year.

She said she hoped that they would be able to build a “bigger and better IFP” and see the membership grow to 4,500 with 2,500 CFPCM professionals.

This, she hoped, would come from a large number of Financial Planners choosing the IFP as their accredited body and the growth of the Paraplanning profession.

She also noted the success of the recognition of the IFP as an accredited body by the Financial Services Authority last week.

This enables the IFP to award Statements of Professional Standing to those who choose the IFP as their accredited body.

The IFP is able to issue SPS from February 2012 but can already take applications from advisers and Planners.

Another development over the past year has been the Accredited Financial Planning Firms register. This idea was first put forward by former IFP president Jane Wheeler FIFP CFP^CM four years ago.

She said: “This is very exciting and very important to me, as President but also as a senior Planner at Bluefin. Being on the register will help consumers access genuine Financial Planning delivered by CFP professionals which is a great step forward.”

For the future, she said: “We want to grow the IFP so that it can become an even bigger force to be reckoned with and truly lead the profession.”

She appealed to members to attend branch meetings, regional conferences and spread the word on Financial Planning, particularly during Financial Planning Week which will be held from 21-27 November.

She said: “I am still convinced that together we can build a bigger and better IFP and that we will realise David Norton’s dream of Financial Planning being a respected and revered profession.”