Industry legend Fred Dodds passed away on Monday aged 74 following a battle with cancer.
Fred had a long and distinguished career in the financial services industry having joined the sector in 1977 working for The Prudential.
The former Otago Boys’ School pupil went on to be National Manager of Tower Financial Advisory Services in 2003, a role he held for 10 years.
He was CEO of the Institute of Advisers, a role he took up in 2014, he was a board member of industry training college Professional IQ, and in 2018 he launched Fred Dodds Consulting.
Rod Severn, CEO of the college says Fred will be greatly missed for his knowledge of the industry and his “great sense of humour”.
“His passing is a great loss,” says Severn. “He always had great respect for people and always made time to listen to them.
“When I stepped in to help the Professional Advisers Association (PAA) in 2014 he took me under his wing during my five years there. He reached out to me and offered to teach me all I wanted to know. He was very supportive. I could pick up the phone at any time, he was very warm and welcoming.
Fred will be remembered for his personality, he was always full of funny stories to share…
“Later, PAA morphed into Financial Advice NZ and when I moved to lead Professional IQ I had no hesitation in offering Fred a position on the board due to the respect people had for him across the industry.
“Fred will be remembered for his personality, he was always full of funny stories to share, he had a great sense of humour, was a huge networker, and really will be missed.”
Last year Fred was presented with the Service to the Profession award at the Financial Advice NZ annual conference gala on 22 August by Katrina Shanks, the organisation’s CEO.
The award recognises an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the Financial Services sector and who has gone above and beyond to champion the profession.
Award judges said Fred’s passion for the profession and his ability to encourage others to achieve and become part of the story is “outstanding”.
“It is this inclusiveness that sets him apart,” they said. “In his leadership role, as the CEO of the Institute of Financial Advisers, Fred was instrumental in forming the sector engagement group, presenting a united voice of stakeholders to regulators and officials.”
Fred had more than forty years in the sector and his contribution had been significant…
Speaking on Monday Shanks said she had been able to spend time with Fred on Sunday.
“I was fortunate to be able to visit him and share some of the stories which had been shared with me over the last few weeks as more people became more aware of Fred’s battle with cancer,” she said.
“Fred had more than forty years in the sector and his contribution had been significant.
“He will be remembered as someone who had a twinkle in his eyes, had significant knowledge of all things related to financial advice, the facilitator of bringing people together – but more importantly was genuine and kind to everybody who crossed his path.
“Fred will be missed by so many in the sector and I am sure will not be forgotten.”
Fred was a member of organisations including LUA, IAFP, IIAA, FPIA and IFA, and was a founding board member of the ISAFP in the 1990s.
In his leadership role as the CEO of the Institute of Financial Advisers, he was instrumental in forming the sector engagement group, presenting a united voice of stakeholders to regulators and officials and helping to form Financial Advice New Zealand.