The diploma means that Laura, who works for financial planning and investment management company Watson French, is now a step ahead of many other IFAs who have yet to complete this level, but must do so by December 2012 at the latest under new regulations introduced by the Financial Services Authority.
The Diploma for Financial Advisers is a Level 4 qualification which develops advanced technical knowledge and understanding across a broad range of key advisory areas, and consists of three exams over a nine month period.
Laura, from Newquay, passed the exams first time and with exceptionally high marks, and is now looking forward to working towards achieving Chartered status, the ‘gold’ standard for IFAs.
Laura said: “The diploma was hard work, especially the final part which was a three-hour written exam, but I’m glad to have passed the exams well ahead of the deadline and it’s all good practice for working as an IFA. As well as being an essential qualification for financial advisers, it’s also a big step towards becoming Chartered, which is my next goal.”
Laura, 38, joined Watson French in November 2011, after four years working for Co-operative Financial Services.
Watson French has more than £100 million of funds under management and combines financial planning and investment management expertise to deliver a bespoke and independent service to clients.
It has a specialism in small self-administered pension schemes (SSAS) and is one of just a handful of firms in the region and just over 300 nationwide with prestigious Chartered Financial Planner status from the Chartered Insurance Institute, which is a hallmark of quality and technical excellence.
Stephen Watson, managing director at Watson French, added: “I’m very pleased that Laura has achieved the diploma, given the three month time frame in which she completed it. Laura achieved consistently high marks across all of the exams, and having her excellent level of knowledge proved by professional assessment reaffirms our decision to appoint her and the high level of expertise we offer all our clients.”
For more information visit www.watsonfrench.co.uk
Ends
Download full press release