The co-chairmen of the CISI Paraplanner Conference this afternoon praised delegates for their high level of interaction and engagement with the sessions.

Organisers said they were happy with the turnout at Chesford Grange, Warwick, for the first Paraplanner Conference since the merger with the IFP late last year.

They reported that there had been a buzzing atmosphere and plenty of enthusiasm shown.

Event co-chair Farida Hassanali CFPTM Chartered MCSI, told Financial Planning Today: “We’re really pleased with the turnout, it’s really positive. The CISI have done a great job organising it and there are more delegates than last year. There were about 112 signed up and even yesterday there were about 80 in the pre-conference sessions.

“People have been asking lots of questions throughout the day and everyone has been keen to contribute, which was what this is all about, that element of being able to share and grow together.

“It’s a really friendly, forgiving audience, you look out and no one is there judging you. They are just looking for you to succeed, which I think says a lot about Paraplanners generally.

Ms Hassanali, a Paraplanner at UBS and chair of the Paraplanner Professional Interest Group, spoke of her pride at taking on the role, having been a member of the IFP since 2008.

Her co-chairman Dan Atkinson APP ACSI, senior technical consultant at EQ and IFP Paraplanner of the Year 2014, was delighted with how many attended Wednesday’s pre-conference sessions.

He said: “It was really good to see that room rammed full of Paraplanners, there was a real buzz about the place, people were excited about the conference.”

Of today’s sessions, he said: “It’s been a really friendly audience and I’m really glad they’ve been interacting with lots of questions.”

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