The 2015 AFA National Adviser Conference will be remembered as one that sought to face the issues of today while preparing advisers for the new advice landscape of tomorrow.
While the Conference agenda addressed issues common to all advisers, many of the keynote addresses and other presentations and discussions appeared aimed towards helping equip advisers and their businesses emerge on the other side of the new Life Insurance Framework in a position to enable them to embrace and benefit from the opportunities of the future.
Presented under its 2015 theme of Connecting Knowledge with Performance, the Conference delivered excellent plenary speakers and a diverse selection of focus sessions, presented under three AFA learning pillars of adviser performance, business performance and advice strategy. The sessions were structured as case studies, forums and workshops or a combination of those elements. There were also a series of ‘Meet the Professionals’ and ‘Meet the Innovators’ sessions, which offered delegates the opportunity to split into smaller groups to access tips and recommendations from experts across a range of specialist fields.
While the backdrop of the issues relating to the Life Insurance Framework and other looming regulatory changes gave this year’s Conference a slightly more serious and sometimes controversial edge, there was also an opportunity to celebrate the industry through the various adviser Awards that were announced during the course of the Conference.
In addition to the adviser awards, the AFA also recognised industry contributors to its Association, most notably Queensland adviser and long-time AFA and industry supporter, Gerry Porter, who was the 2015 recipient of the Michael Murphy Award. Among Mr Porter’s long list of achievements is the integral role he played in setting up the now vibrant AFA GenXt program for new and emerging advisers.
The 2015 Conference also distinguished itself by the lively Exhibition area featuring a wide range of institutional and other industry supporters and also for the spirit of engagement and free exchange of ideas between the delegates themselves, which tend to characterise most AFA events.