Mark MacSymon, a wealth manager at Private Client Holdings, was named the 2017 Financial Planner of the Year on Thursday.
The award, presented by the Financial Planning Institute (FPI), is the highest accolade bestowed on financial planners in South Africa who are members of the FPI and hold the Certified Financial Planner accreditation.
The two runners-up were Janet Hugo, a director of Sterling Private Clients, and Francois le Roux of Old Mutual Private Wealth Management.
Like a true financial planner, MacSymon already has his eye on the future. “Changes to the regulatory framework are influencing how we deliver financial advice to our clients and businesses have to remodel themselves in response to these shifts. We’re not going to shy away from these new challenges because we believe that the new regulations will improve our industry and further protect our customers.”
It was a coup for Private Client Holdings, a Cape Town-based advisory practice, which also this month won “Best Adviser Firm – South Africa” at the International Adviser Best Practice Adviser Awards 2017.
Private Client Holdings also topped the charts in two sub-categories: ‘Excellence in Professional Development’ and ‘Excellence in Business Strategy’. The “International Adviser Best Practice Adviser Awards” acknowledge global adviser excellence and are open to authorised financial adviser / wealth management firms around the world who compete for the awards in their respective regions.
Well done, Marc and Private Client Holdings. Indeed a rare feat for one group to excel on so many levels.
