Conferences, professional development and sector leadership.
All in a fortnight
It has been an exceptionally active couple of weeks for the wealth planning team at Wells Gibson, with members attending three significant professional events. This is a reflection of our commitment to remaining at the forefront of financial planning practice and thinking.
CISI Accredited Financial Planning Firm Conference
Last week, Jonathan and Lori attended the CISI Accredited Financial Planning Firm Conference, an annual gathering exclusively for firms that hold AFPF accreditation. It is worth pausing on what that status means.
CISI Accredited Financial Planning Firm status is widely regarded within the profession as a higher accolade than individual Chartered status, recognising excellence at the firm level rather than simply the individual.
There are currently only 52 such accredited firms in the UK. Wells Gibson is one of them.
This year’s conference was particularly timely. Sessions explored the real-world application of AI in financial planning, actionable strategies for more effective client communication, and how firms can balance meaningful personalisation with robust compliance.
A strong theme throughout the day was leadership – specifically how leaders can shape firm culture, raise performance across their teams, and maximise collective impact. We returned with a number of practical ideas already being put to work.
Dimensional Science of Investing Conference
This week, Lori, Harry and Josh travelled to Edinburgh for Dimensional’s Science of Investing Conference at The Scotsman Hotel.
The day brought together Dimensional’s senior research and portfolio management teams for a full programme of sessions covering the academic evidence behind pursuing higher expected returns, the practical application of that research in day-to-day equity and fixed income portfolio management, and Dimensional’s approach to trading, exploring how value is added at the execution level as well as the strategic level.
The afternoon included a workshop on structuring effective client communication, which tied neatly to themes from the CISI conference earlier in the week. It is always valuable for our team to engage directly with the investment managers we work with, and the material from Edinburgh will inform our client conversations in the months ahead.
CISI Presidents’ Day
Rounding off the fortnight, Jonathan is today attending the CISI Presidents’ Day at the institute’s London headquarters, an invitation-only event that convenes CISI branch presidents from across the UK and internationally.
The focus is on strategic planning for the year ahead, knowledge sharing between regional leaders, and engagement with the future direction of the institute whose standards and qualifications underpin the profession.
It is a reminder that staying connected to the sector’s leadership matters, not just for Wells Gibson, but for the broader financial planning community we are part of.
Closing reflection
Attending events like these is not simply about gathering information, it is about holding ourselves to the standards our clients deserve, and contributing to a profession we believe in.
It is a reminder that staying connected to the sector’s leadership matters, not just for Wells Gibson, but for the broader financial planning community we are part of.
