Nine candidates compete for places on Institute of Financial Planning board

Nine members of the Institute of Financial Planning (IFP) will battle it out for three places on the board at next week's annual conference in Manchester after record numbers applied for the director positions.

Vacancies have become available after Ian Shipway, immediate past president of the IFP, stepped down after 12 years in-line with board policy. Pat Meehan, senior client partner at Towry Law resigned due to work pressure and Steve Caps of Ramsay Brown Financial Services reached the end of his term but is putting himself forward for re-election.

IFP members who hold the required certified financial planner (CFP) certificate were able to join the race to become a board member and the wider IFP membership will be asked to cast their votes by 29 September. The results of the vote will be revealed at the Financial Planners’ Forum for Success in Manchester on 2 October.

THE CANDIDATES' MANIFESTOES
Phil Billingham, director, Perception Support: ‘My career, in the UK, US and South Africa includes time as an adviser, manager and trainer as well as my current role supporting advisers. This wide experience allows me to view issues from different dimensions.’

Peter Buckle, Buckle Green & Partners:
‘I would like to increase my contribution to the IFP by joining the board to help deal with issues that affect both the institute and its members. We have the challenges and opportunities the RDR brings to us all and if elected, I look forward to listening to members’ views.’

Steve Caps, Ramsay Brown Financial Services: ‘I believe that financial planners can make a significant difference to the quality of life of their clients. I have also continued to encourage anyone who is prepared to listen that they should move to a financial planning model not only for the benefit of their clients, but also for the benefit of their businesses and themselves.’

Danny Cox, Hargreaves Lansdown: ‘As the number of CFP professionals grows, the larger firms have a key role to build the number of planning professionals and promote financial planning to the market.

Alan Dick, partner, Forty Two Financial Planning: ‘I want to contribute something of lasting value to the development of the profession and will work tirelessly to further the standards to which we all, as members of the IFP, believe in. The time has come for financial planners to be taken seriously by consumers and the media as professionals.’

Donald Fraser, Grant Thornton: ‘Working within a leading accountancy firm means that I share the ideals and standards of the IFP based on the core principles of integrity, competence, confidentiality and objectivity, blended with substantial knowledge, skill and application.’

Neil Messenger, Grant Thornton: ‘I bring experience as part of the leadership of Grant Thornton and believe fully in the integration of graduates to the financial planning team and therefore providing a stream of new entrants to the profession. I expect to make a positive contribution to the development of the profession and bring some of the experience that I have gained over the last 20 years to help the board develop a strategy consistent with the vision of the IFP.’