New Ideas and Conversations Ready to be Ignited

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GUEST COLUMNIST – KATRINA SHANKS

Ignite – it’s the core theme and title of our 2022 Financial Advice NZ conference, which is shaping up to be the most engaging and memorable event we’ve organised yet…


 

The dates are confirmed and, new Covid variants permitting, we’re looking forward to meeting our members at the brand-new Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre on 6-7 September 2022.

It’s a breath of fresh air after lockdowns and restrictions didn’t allow us to celebrate our industry in person for over two years. And that’s why we’re excited to bring on stage a great line-up of speakers and industry experts, sharing key insights and practical tools with attendees.

A great deal of thought has gone into making this two-day event a memorable one, so I’d like to tell you a bit more about what we have in store for our delegates, sponsors and associates, including the key topics around which the discussion will revolve.

Katrina Shanks, CEO, Financial Advice NZ (2020)
Katrina Shanks, CEO, Financial Advice NZ.

If last year’s conference provided an opportunity to be inspired and energised in preparation for a big 2022, this year’s conference is all about ‘igniting’ new ideas, new possibilities, new conversations, and to set sparks flying in the industry.

The recent regulatory and legislative changes have prompted our sector to take a closer look within itself and determine what the future of the advice profession looks like. So, now the time is ripe to move on and get fired up for the next leg of this journey, one of consolidation and growth.

The Conference line-up will reflect this direction with a diverse range of contributions. Over 15 speakers have already been confirmed, with more to be announced soon – from industry leaders through to business coaches and other experts.

Impact

As I said in the past, financial advisers have a crucial role to play as sense-makers in a changing environment. And to be able to unlock the opportunities that the future provides, it’s important to have a finger firmly on the pulse of upcoming trends, including what the digital landscape promises to deliver.

With this in mind, we’re pleased to have some high-calibre keynotes planned, including global futurist Chris Riddell and thought leader Matt Church.

Their sessions will focus on the world of tomorrow, and the actions that advisers can take today to prepare for it. Rather than looking to the future with concern and uncertainty, both speakers will invite us to approach it as a vibrant, globally transformational time, full of opportunities to be explored.

Leadership

We all know that financial advice is a relationship business. It’s not just about the solutions that advisers recommend or the outcomes that they help clients achieve, but also how they make clients feel. Rapport builds trust and trust builds rapport.

Recent times have highlighted the need for a new mental health paradigm…

Some of our sessions will focus on the tools that can help advisers cultivate and hone the art-science of human connection. Whether that’s through marketing or the power of a great conversation, attendees will gain a fresh perspective on client interactions.

Wellbeing

Recent times have highlighted the need for a new mental health paradigm in business and in life. And close to home, research from AIA has shed a sobering light on New Zealand advisers’ wellbeing – a reminder that our industry can and should do more collectively to help its participants cope with change and approach the future with confidence.

Our conference will offer an opportunity to discuss the ‘mental health’ topic as well as find practical tools to tackle it. Xero Aotearoa managing director Craig Hudson, for example, will talk about the importance of looking after employees’ wellbeing, and other initiatives that Xero has championed within and outside its organisation.

For those interested in developing their own mental resilience, All Blacks manager and mental skills coach Gilbert Enoka will focus on how to perform under pressure and in the face of competition. And still on the topic of overcoming challenges, Tony Laker from Laker House of Travel will share his empowering journey and the principles that helped him build a successful business – and then rebuild it from the ashes of Covid-related disruption.

Many young advisers entering the profession are bringing valuable skills…

Innovation and technology are tightly interlaced and shaping the foundation of the ‘new normal’ in financial advice.

That doesn’t mean that the ‘human element’ is set to be lost in the process. If anything, technology can be a catalyst for a more granular connection and a tool to enhance advisers’ ability to support their clientele. As lightning speakers and technology innovators Vic Crone (CEO of Callaghan Innovation) and Sir Ian Taylor will show, it’s possible to incorporate technology into your culture while keeping a strong client focus.

And of course, innovating also means being able to tap into up-and-coming trends brought on by the younger generations. Many young advisers entering the profession are bringing valuable skills and new perspectives into their businesses. And as an industry, it’s exciting to see what these trends can generate in terms of client engagement.

One of the lightning speakers at Conference, Victoria Devine, is a multi-award-winning financial adviser, best-selling author, and founder/host of ‘She’s on the Money’ podcast. Young, influential and driven, she’s an example for anyone looking at pushing their boundaries and exploring more ways to share the advice message out there.

This is just a small taste of the themes that will be covered during our 2022 Financial Advice NZ conference, with more workshops to be confirmed in the coming weeks and months.

For full details and registration, we welcome advisers to visit our Conference page – we’ll update the programme in due course.