I leave the office shortly after 5pm and arrive home to find a letter from the Chartered Insurance Institute awaiting me, advising that I have been selected to submit my last 12 months’ continuing professional development for review. I wonder if this has anything to do with my recent registration to attend the Personal Finance Society annual conference for the first time? I have been assured by an ex-board member that special sessions are available for advisers like myself whereby you only have to colour in the pictures rather than take detailed notes, although there is a risk I would lose CPD if I colour over a line.
Tuesday
Today is an early start as I need to get to the West Country for a series of presentations to the employees of one of our corporate clients, a large number of who are eligible to join the group personal pension ahead of auto-enrolment. This relationship has been operating on a fee basis for the past 12 years and is a prime example of why charging a fee to the employer on a time-spent basis really does work.
A fair mix of employees attend who ask broadly similar questions, but they all seem reassured that my remuneration is not dependent on them joining the scheme. There is also a degree of suspicion as to how safe pension schemes are: Equitable Life and Robert Maxwell’s legacies still live on.
Despite the long drive home I feel alert enough to attend salsa classes tonight. Three hours of fun working out and learning some new steps with dance master Gio Papas. I am not a gym-goer: dancing is a much better way to keeping fit.
Wednesday
It is another early start as I aim to get to the Cofunds’ seminar this morning. I arrive early so Matthew and Jess, my hosts for the morning, take care of me with several cups of coffee and a bacon roll. More CPD and an interesting talk from Baillie Gifford about its American fund. I have a client meeting to get to on the south coast so I leave before the end.
