Chris Wordsworth has been crowned Money Management Financial Planner of the Year for 2018 at an awards ceremony held at London's Oxo Tower.
Now in their 23rd year, the awards, held last night (18 October), celebrate the UK’s cream of financial planning.
To be eligible for the main award, sponsored by Schroders, candidates had to submit at least two pieces of redacted client work. Those shortlisted were then invited to be interviewed by CISI’s head of financial planning Jackie Lockie and former winner Robin Keyte of Keyte Ltd.
Mr Wordsworth, from Hargreaves Lansdown, beat off stiff competition to walk away with the winner’s trophy and a cheque for £5,000.
For the individual awards, those victorious took home a cheque for £500, with £200 awarded to the runner up.
It was a stellar night for Laura Whetstone of Lathe & Co, who triumphed in the Tax Efficient planner category, sponsored by Octopus Investments, and then took home the Rising Star award, sponsored by NS&I.
Jason Eldrid of Portsmouth-based Sheraton Financial Planning was victorious in the At-Retirement category, while Matthew Phillips of Age Partnership was awarded the top prize for the more2life-sponsored Equity Release planner of the year category.
Carole Nicholls of Nicholls Stevens and David Malin of Lamont Pridmore Asset & Wealth Management won the awards for IHT and Investment Companies, respectively - the latter being sponsored by the AIC - with last year’s overall winner Andy Springford scooping the prize for Investment planner.
Mortgage planner of the year, sponsored by L&G, was Fairstone’s Wanda Moore, with Francis Klonowski of Klonowski & Co triumphing in the Multi-Asset category, sponsored by Schroders. Lisa Hardman of Investing Ethically won the award for Sustainable Ethical adviser, sponsored by EdenTree IM.
Nicola Meadows from Hargreaves Lansdown was runner-up in the At-Retirement category, Age Partnership's Richard Barker was runner-up for Equity Release Planner, and Iain Muffitt of Mercer & Hole was a close second for the IHT award. Daniel Elkington of MT Financial Management was commended in the Investment Companies category, as was Grangewood Financial Management's Sarah Harrigan in the Investment planner competition.
Marcus Dyachenko of Chesterton Grant Mortgages was runner-up for the Mortgage Planner Award, James Robinson from Mazars was commended in the Multi-Asset category, while Jeannie Boyle of EQ Investors was runner-up in the Sustainable Ethical category and Katie White of Hargreaves Lansdown was runner-up for the Tax Efficient award.
