Macquarie private banker takes FAAA gong

The Financial Advice Association of Australia (FAAA) has named the winner of its Gwen Fletcher Memorial Award, which honours the highest performing student in its Certified Financial Planner Certification (CFP C) Program.

Marc Whitworth, a private banker at Macquarie Group, was recognised for his exemplary performance during the CFP C program’s summer semester.

The award recognises the highest performing student in CFP C program for each semester, demonstrating “dedication to providing high-quality financial advice”, the FAAA said.

The award is named after the late AM Gwen Fletcher, hailed as the ‘First Lady of Financial Planning’ – a pioneer of the financial planning profession and education in Australia, and a central figure in the formation of the Financial Planning Association (FPA).

FAAA general manager – education Anne Palmer recognised program participants for “the significant amount of work and… effort” put in during the program’s most recent semester.

She also singled out award winner Whitworth for his “strong dedication and commitment to his studies, all while maintaining consistent high standards with his client work”.

“On behalf of the FAAA, I congratulate him on reaching the highest level of qualification in financial planning.”

Palmer added: “The CFP Certification Program is an integral part of the FAAA’s efforts to support technical excellence in financial planning and equip planners with the skills and confidence needed to provide the best quality financial advice to Australians.

“As a result, we are seeing more members taking part in the course, seeking to upskill, which is ultimately a good thing for the financial planning profession as a whole.”

Other financial advisers recognised for their successful completion of the CFP certification were: Alex Porter, David Cooper, Rex Wang, James Middleton, Jeremy Zenwirth, Karissa Penna, Luke Dean, Manpreet Banga, Mitch Buckley, Nick Churkovic, Paul Johnston, Priscilla OSay N-tim, and Samuel Gall.

The FAAA recognises the CFP designation as “the most respected financial planning designation globally, with more than 223,700 CFP professionals worldwide”.

The CFP designation is rated as the largest and best-recognised financial planning designation globally.