Financial Advice New Zealand has opened nominations for its 2026 Financial Advice New Zealand Awards, recognising individuals and organisations who are changing lives and creating positive consumer perceptions of financial advice in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Winners will be announced and celebrated at the National Adviser Conference 2026, to be held from 24–26 March at the Aotea Centre, Auckland, as part of the Conference Gala Awards Dinner on 26 March 2026.

Financial Advice New Zealand Chief Executive Officer Nick Hakes said the Awards reflect the evolving role of advisers and the growing impact of high-quality advice on New Zealanders’ financial wellbeing.

“These Awards recognise people and organisations who are leading with integrity, professionalism, and a clear commitment to improving the financial and emotional wellbeing of New Zealanders,” Mr Hakes said.

“Great advice builds confidence, resilience, and long-term financial wellbeing. The individuals and organisations we recognise through these Awards are helping increase trust in the profession and shape what modern financial advice looks like in practice.”

The Financial Advice New Zealand Awards celebrate excellence, leadership, innovation, and contribution to the advice profession and wider community.

Award categories

Financial Capability Advocate Award
Presented to an individual or organisation that has demonstrated a strong commitment to improving financial capability and financial education. This Award recognises meaningful efforts to help New Zealanders better understand financial concepts and make informed decisions throughout their lives.

Community Impact Award
Recognises an individual or organisation that has delivered positive social and financial outcomes within their community. This Award celebrates advisers and organisations who extend their impact beyond their business, contributing to stronger, more financially resilient communities.

Lifetime Achievement Award
A prestigious honour recognising an individual who has made an outstanding and sustained contribution to the financial advice profession over their career. This Award acknowledges leadership, service, and a lasting positive influence on the profession and those within it.

Mr Hakes said the Awards also play an important role in professional leadership and knowledge-sharing across the advice community.

Our Awards programme goes beyond recognising excellence in advice. They’re about how good clients of advisers can become. By sharing the stories behind great advice, we want more Kiwis to see what’s possible, have confidence in their financial futures, and know that professional financial advice can genuinely change their lives for the better. Research demonstrates that New Zealanders are better off with financial advice— and that’s what the Awards programme is really here to celebrate.”

Previous winners have gone on to share their insights and experiences with peers across the country, strengthening our collective capability and connection, and providing a national platform to share the good news stories about financial advice.”

Nominations are now open. For full award criteria and nomination details, visit www.financialadvice.nz/national-adviser-conference or www.financialadvice.nz/Awards-2026

Notes:

The 2025 Financial Advice New Zealand Awards recognised excellence across the profession, including:

• Naomi Ballantyne (The Adviser Platform), recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award for her decades-long leadership and contribution to innovation and access to financial advice in New Zealand;
• Lifetime Group (Dream Days), recipient of the Community Impact Award for its charitable initiative supporting children with serious health conditions or disabilities;
• Brenda Nom (Brenda Nom Mortgages & Insurance), recipient of the Financial Capability Award for advancing financial education through a first-home buyer programme; and
• Stephen Benton (Rede Advisers), awarded Life Membership in recognition of his long-standing service and commitment to professionalism within Financial Advice New Zealand.

Service Recognition Awards were also presented to members who have made sustained contributions to committees, advocacy, professional standards, and capability-building across the profession.

About Financial Advice New Zealand: Financial Advice New Zealand is the largest financial adviser-representative professional body for Financial Advisers and Financial Advice Providers (FAPs) in New Zealand. Our members provide trusted advice to consumers across financial planning and investments, mortgages and lending, and life, disability & health insurance, which ultimately helps Kiwis grow, manage, and protect their wealth.

Today, Financial Advice New Zealand is a vibrant, innovative association, where the underlying driver of policy is that great advice transforms lives. We promote the highest professional standards for financial advice, so more New Zealanders have the confidence to actively seek quality financial advice to improve their financial health, wealth, and well-being.

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