IFA announces appointment of new independent director

20 January 2012
IFA announces appointment of new independent director

The Institute of Financial Advisers (IFA) is delighted to announce the appointment of independent director Jeremy Bendall to the Board.

Jeremy Bendall is a chartered accountant and Managing Director of Bendall Advisory, a niche consulting practice which provides strategic planning, strategic selling, risk governance, performance measurement, facilitation and governance reform services to clients in New Zealand.

He has gained extensive experience in the financial and professional service sectors , through his work with financial institutions , time as a partner with KPMG and various leadership and educational support roles with professional bodies across New Zealand.

Bendall also has significant experience in the not-for-profit sector, having been a director of Tennis NZ for eight years and deputy chair since 2009. He is a guest lecturer at the University of Auckland Business School on not-for-profit governance and has held significant leadership roles in various not-for-profits across New Zealand.

In announcing the appointment, IFA chair Tony Vidler said he was very pleased to bring a person of Jeremy’s calibre to an already strong board. “It is a sign of the times that professional bodies such as the Institute are increasingly needing and seeking top-flight board members, and that they see organisations such as the IFA as having the credibility and potential in which they can add value.”

The IFA, the professional body for NZ financial advisers, has a Board of five practitioner members and two independent directors. Vidler says the organisation underwent a thorough and rigorous process before appointing Bendall to the Board.

“We knew exactly what skills and attributes we were looking for to complement existing board members and believe we have found those attributes in Jeremy,” Vidler says.

Bendall takes up his position with immediate effect.

ENDS

IFA Vision
To be the trusted and vital professional body for financial advice in New Zealand.

IFA Mission
To help our members achieve their potential as professional financial advisers for the benefit of the New Zealand public.

IFA Background
The Institute of Financial Advisers is the professional body for some 1,100 members, representing financial advisers in New Zealand. All members are individual members, not corporate members. We estimate that our members provide advice to some 200,000 New Zealanders each year, many of whom would be couples rather than individuals, with an overall client base of around 600,000.
Our members provide advice to their clients in the areas of insurance, investments, financial planning, work-based savings and insurance, retirement planning, estate planning and financial services generally. Their professional practices reflect the broad spectrum of New Zealand businesses – they operate as local SME’s, are part of large regional or national dealer groups, are associated with strong financial organisations, services companies in banking, funds management, or insurance, work in employee benefits organisations, or sometimes practice as lawyers, accountants and other professional advisers.
The Institute reinforces compliance with a code of ethics and practice standards, runs a Professional Conduct Committee and Disciplinary Tribunal that are independently chaired, offers education pathways that can lead to professional designations and the attainment of internationally recognised adviser marks, maintains and ensures compliance with a continuing professional development programme, and provides networking, education, development, and business practice forums at a national and regional level for members

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