BHP Financial Services Leading the Way in Financial Planning
Nick Brier, Financial Services Manager at leading independent financial advisors BHP Financial Services in Sheffield, is celebrating qualification as a Chartered Financial Planner, one of only a handful in the South Yorkshire area.
He joins a total of around just 1,000 advisers in the country to have achieved Chartership – one of the highest qualifications financial advisers can achieve.
Chartership was introduced into financial services only in 2005 to bring the industry into line with other professional services, and is conferred by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII), the leading professional body for insurance and financial services. Fewer than 1% of advisers in the country are currently qualified as Chartered Financial Planners.
As Nick Brier comments: ''This new qualification has already become a benchmark of professionalism and should prove invaluable in helping the financial services industry achieve greater parity with other professionals, such as accountants and solicitors. Financial advisers play a vital role in helping people plan their finances more effectively and a good financial adviser can provide expert advice in all sorts of areas, such as helping his or her clients save tax, achieve a better return on their savings, protect themselves and their families against the effects of serious illness or early death or secure a decent standard of living for themselves in retirement.
Colin Arnot, Executive Manager of BHP Financial Services adds,’ We’re very proud to be able to offer clients of BHP Financial Services such a pre-eminent level of advice. The entire financial services industry is rightly moving towards far higher standards of professionalism and BHP FS strives to be at the forefront of this trend.’’
Date: 16 July 2007
Notes to Editors
To qualify for Chartered status, which puts financial planners on a par with other professionals, such as Chartered Accountants and Chartered Surveyors, individuals must first of all prove their knowledge and professionalism by passing a series of degree-level examinations. At the same time they must demonstrate that they are maintaining and updating their professional knowledge by undertaking regular continuing professional development. Chartered Financial Planners must have at least five years’ experience in financial services and conform to the CII’s Code of Ethics and Conduct.
BHP Financial Services Ltd is a firm of independent financial advisers operating in Chesterfield and Sheffield. As professional advisors, we are in a unique position to be able to provide a comprehensive range of corporate and personal financial services and investment advice, linked with the tax planning of Barber Harrison & Platt Chartered Accountants. BHP Financial Services is regulated by the Financial Services Authority.
Barber Harrison & Platt is one of the leading firms of independent Chartered Accountants in the North of England, with 10 Partners and 160 staff at offices in Sheffield and Chesterfield.
Barber Harrison & Platt provide the full range of audit, accounts and taxation services and was one of the first accountancy practices in the UK to be awarded the prestigious Customer First Accreditation.
Contacts
Louise Barraclough
0114 266 7171 louise.barraclough@bhp.co.uk