Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment  

Leicester planner wins CISI’s professional of the year award

Leicester planner wins CISI’s professional of the year award
Chartered financial planner Alasdair Walker (right) received his award at the CISI's financial planning awards.

Chartered financial planner Alasdair Walker has walked away with one of the CISI’s top awards with Pavis Financial Management winning the firm of the year award.

Announced at an awards ceremony last night (October 3), Walker won the certified financial planner professional of the year award.

Walker joined Handford Aitkenhead & Walker in 2011 as a trainee. He is now managing director and sits on the firm’s investment committee.

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He has expertise in pensions and investments and is an accredited Retirement Planning Specialist and Later Life Advice Specialist and is authorised to deal with final salary and defined benefit pension transfers.

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, Walker said he "was incredibly pleased to win CFP of the Year. Judges said it was the biggest shortlist they’ve ever had due to the high quality of applications.”

Former winner David Hearne posted: "Such a thrill to see Alasdair Walker win CFP Professional of the year 2023 at the CISI Financial Planning Awards. I cannot think of a better financial planner to hand the baton to."

Other awards

Also at the CISI’s Financial Planning Awards 2023, Alison Neale of Principle Paraplanning won paraplanner of the year. As in previous years, FTAdviser’s editor Simoney Kyriakou was one of the judges on the panel. 

She said: "Alison had a clear passion for her role and was able to articulate well not just the reasoning behind the case study she had submitted, but also how she coaches and trains other paraplanners into the profession she loves."

Pavis Financial Management won the CISI Accredited Financial Planning Firm of the year award, while Emily Martel took home the Paul Etheridge Financial Planning Future Leader Award.

Elsewhere, Mark Rogers took home the Tony Sellon “Good Egg” Award and Affluent Financial Planning won the David Norton Building Excellence Award.

Sally Plant, CISI assistant director for financial planning and education development, said: “Many congratulations to all our winners.

"You should be hugely proud of your achievements and these awards are testament to your professionalism and the value you offer to your clients. 

“Your dedication will inspire your peers and the next generation of financial planners. Thank you also to all those who took the time to submit entries.”

amy.austin@ft.com