The merger with the CISI is the IFP’s “one chance to get it right”, the body’s new president says.

Alan Dick CFPCM, who took over the role from Rebecca Taylor FIFP CFPCM at the IFP AGM on 5 October, has outlined his aims and ambitions as the transition to merge the organisations takes place.

On 1 November the IFP board and the role of President will cease to exist, with Mr Dick becoming the new Chair of the IFP Financial Planning Professional Forum Committee.

In an interview with sister publication Financial Planner magazine, Mr Dick said: “This is our one chance to get it right and ensure the new merged CISI/IFP is the voice of Financial Planning in the UK. That voice needs to be heard to be able to make a real difference to the lives of financial planning professionals and their clients.”

He said: “We mustn’t underestimate the scale of the task of fully integrating two great bodies such as IFP and CISI. Fortunately, we are both well aligned ideologically but we need to make sure that the practicalities don’t get left to chance.”

Asked what his principal aims are in his new role and how he intends to go about achieving these, he said: “As we start a whole new chapter in the growth of our profession we need to accept that the IFP is no longer a small cottage industry professional body.

“During the consultation period regarding the CISI merger a theme kept coming up in members’ questions; will we lose our unique identity as financial planners with a great sense of community? Will our unique culture be diluted?

“Will we be forced to move our focus from real Financial Planning to an investment driven world of stock brokers, fund managers and wealth managers?

“It is my job to make sure that the strengths of the IFP that have been evident since outset in the 1980’s are preserved and developed.

“The merger into a larger ‘grown up’ professional body is a coming of age for IFP and it is now time for us to make sure that our voice is heard both inside CISI and in the wider context. The merger with CISI gives us a fantastic platform.”