MDRT’s Experience Day in Wellington last week is being seen as a great success with New Zealand Chair, Joel McLachlan, saying the organisation is delighted with the response from the advice community.
McLachlan told RiskinfoNZ that there were around 60 attendees, including financial advisers and representatives from insurance companies. Around 10 were existing MDRT members and approximately 40 were advisers who are not currently MDRT members.
“ It was particularly encouraging to see so many non-members attending and taking an interest in what MDRT has to offer.”
McLachlan says alongside the headline speakers Corey Williams from Swain Woodham in Christchurch and Aaron Kane from EK Financial Group in Melbourne, there were also three 10-minute ‘MDRT Speaks’ sessions by Rick Willis, Christine Zhao and Louise Grinstead.
“The feedback we’ve received so far has been extremely positive, particularly around the quality of the speakers and the practical insights they shared. Attendees also expressed enthusiasm about the opportunities MDRT provides for professional development, connecting with successful advisers, and growing their advice businesses to the next level.”
McLachlan says while its traditional MDRT Roadshows in Christchurch and Auckland have always been well received “…we’ve recognised that advisers outside those regions haven’t always had the same opportunities to engage with the MDRT community.”
He says as MDRT New Zealand Chair, one of his priorities is to make MDRT more visible, accessible, and relevant to financial advisers throughout the country.
“We want advisers to aspire to attend the MDRT Annual Meeting in the United States, which is an extraordinary professional development experience. However, we also recognise the importance of bringing that MDRT experience closer to home, giving more New Zealand advisers an opportunity to experience the calibre of speakers, ideas and professional connections that make MDRT special.”
During the day the MDRT team also highlighted the work of the MDRT Foundation and presented a cheque for $5,000 to Predator Free New Zealand.
There are currently 103 MDRT members in New Zealand plus around 40 in the MDRT Academy and growing those numbers is a key priority over the next 12 months.
“I believe there is enormous potential to grow the MDRT community in New Zealand. We have some outstanding financial advisers in this country, and I want to see more of them benefit from the professional development, international connections, and opportunities that MDRT provides.
“Our ambition is to build a stronger, more connected MDRT community that supports advisers in taking their businesses and careers to the next level,” he says.
