Richard Allum has revealed who will succeed him in leading the national Paraplanners Powwow.

Caroline Stuart FPFS, a Chartered Financial Planner, of DB Wood, pictured below, will take the reins at the fifth Powwow on 14 September.

Mr Allum CFPTM Chartered MCSI, a Chartered Wealth Manager, created the event originally back in 2013 as a one off but it proved so popular that it grew and has led to a number of spin off events and initiatives.

The traditional ‘unconference’ style whereby delegates sit and debate in tepees, rather than hotel suites, remains firmly in place.

Mr Allum said last year he would have to step down from leading the Powwow due to its enormous time burden and at that stage it was unclear if it would continue. But about 16 volunteers stepped up to run it along with new host Ms Stuart.

Above: Kat Mock, left, and Caroline Stuart, right at a previous Powwow

Below, Richard Allum has led the 4 previous events

Mr Allum told FP Today: “There a few things that are going to be different this year but the biggest change is Caroline Stuart is coming in.

“It was never meant to be about me. The role I took on was front of house facilitator and that kind of stuff.

"Caroline is going to take that on and adapt it in her own style.”

He said: “We were very keen to get someone who hadn’t been known for that kind of stuff.

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“And we’re really pleased to have a woman doing it because finance is a male dominated industry. So we’re going to have a female stamping her style on it.”

He said that originally one of the purposes of the Powwow was to get Paraplanners experiencing new things and taking on fresh challenges.

Mr Allum said: “Caroline is a great case in point as she hadn’t done anything like that before. Then she was involved in the Nottingham mini-powwow.

“Caroline was one of the people who put her hand up and we spoke to her and said ‘we think you’d be very good at this’.

“It’s great to see her now take up the biggest role, having never done that before.

“It’s brilliant to see that and I’m excited to see how she approaches it.”

Ms Stuart began her career in 2001 at Royal London in Wilmslow as a pension administrator.

She is now head of technical solutions at DB Wood in Nottingham.

She told Financial Planning Today: “I’m really looking forward to hosting the Powwow this year.

“I have been to all of the National Powwows so far and have always gained something from them professionally, personally and often physically (there is always the nicest grub at Powwows!)

“So I am really glad to be able to help out so others can hopefully gain from and enjoy them as much as I have.

“I think that the Powwows are a hugely important part of what makes the Paraplanning community what it is. They are an opportunity to meet, share and learn from your peers in a relaxed and friendly environment.”

She added: “I would encourage anyone who hasn’t been to come along as the Powwow is as unique in its format as it is in the benefits you will get from it. There really is nothing like it out there at all and I am extremely proud to be part of it.”