CISI head of Financial Planning Jacqueline Lockie, described this year’s Annual Financial Planning Conference as “amazing”, as more than 450 people attended the two-day event in Birmingham yesterday and today - up on last year.

Speaking exclusively to Financial Planning Today as the conference neared the end, Ms Lockie said: "It’s been going great, there’s a really good vibe, some good quality sessions and one of the sessions yesterday afternoon was standing room only.”

On numbers attending she said there were 300 Financial Planners at the event and in total “over 470 including speakers, sponsors and exhibitors.” Some 400 attended overall last year.

She said: ‘We’ve had delegates from Ireland, the Netherlands, Canada, Australia, Dubai and Nigeria.”

The new venue this year is at the Hilton Metropole at Birmingham’s NEC complex and Ms Lockie said the switch from the previous venue Celtic Manor, in Newport, South Wales had been popular with attendees.

“The feedback from delegates is that they love the central location, its very easy to access and everything is very compact,” she said.

She said the new venue meant everything was “all together within a short walk” as opposed to the more spread out nature of previous conferences.

This, she said, allowed more time for networking and allowed for a fuller schedule.

Ms Lockie added: ”There was a huge turnout yesterday at 9 o’clock, which was amazing. I’m really pleased.

“I think the Gala Dinner yesterday was also one of the stand-out gala dinners and awards that I’ve been to.”

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• Editor's Note: Updated at 4 pm to add more details of numbers attending.