Time is running out for Financial Planners to grab a place at a DFM due diligence seminar featuring Rory Percival, the ex-FCA technical specialist.

Financial Planners and Paraplanners are being invited to attend the free event in London on 6 December being run by the online DFM forum DISCUS and Financial Planning Today. The event will explore the current regulatory position on due diligence, the facts around regulatory statements and relevance to the discretionary investment market, for advisers and providers.

Gillian Hepburn, director of DISCUS, said: "We have seen a significant level of interest from the industry in this event and we are currently waitlisting people. However, we still have some places available for financial planners and would encourage them to get in touch as quickly as possible. She said: “We’re delighted to be working with Financial Planning Today and Bankhall to organise this event and we hope many in the advisory community will be able to attend. We expect strong demand so getting in touch early makes a lot of sense.”

Mr Percival, a well known speaker at roadshows and industry events who left the regulator earlier this month, said: "Research and due diligence is an important part of the advisory process and I am delighted to be speaking at an event geared to promote discussion around good practice in this area." Mr Percival, who has been guest speaker at Financial Planning events in recent years, exited the FCA to take on a new consultancy venture of his own.

An expert panel will shine light on some of the changing issues surrounding due diligence on discretionary manager selection.

GUEST SPEAKERS

. Rory Percival, Rory Percival Training and Consultancy
. Eric Armstrong, Synaptic Software
. Kevin O’Donnell, Editor Financial Planning Today (chair of expert panel debate)

The event, supported by Bankhall, is open now for pre-registration. 

With the use of discretionary managers and Centralised Investment Propositions growing in popularity, this morning event is designed to be both timely and useful. There will also be a chance to network at the seminar which takes place in the City of London at Aviva's offices at St Helen's, Undershaft, and will include technical presentations on DFM due diligence from Synaptic’s Eric Armstrong.

Apart from presentations from expert speakers there will also be a panel debate chaired by Financial Planning Today editor Kevin O’Donnell. He said: “The enormous growth in recent years of DFM propositions makes this morning update for planners a valuable and timely seminar. We’re pleased to be working with DISCUS to help provide this useful update for planners and we're pleased with the response so far. Planners who want to make the most of this event should book up now to avoid missing out.”

Please note that applying for tickets does not guarantee a place but all applications will be responded to and a waitlist is available if you are not successful at first. The event is open to authorised Financial Planners, Paraplanners, Wealth Managers and IFAs.

There is limited space to attend so please email now to express your interest. A light breakfast will be served prior to the event starting at 9 am. The event will finish by 11.30 am.

• Financial Planning Today magazine includes a new investment and DFM section. You can view the second issue of our new magazine here http://bit.ly/2d21I0G