Kathryn Gannon FPFS of Manning & Company in Cornwall has triumphed in the flagship award at this year’s Personal Finance Society Personal Finance Awards.

The Cornwall-based Financial Planner was named the 2016 Chartered Financial Planner of the Year at the Society’s gala awards dinner on Thursday, when more than 500 guests converged on Wembley Stadium to celebrate excellence across the financial advice profession.

Mrs Gannon is a Fellow of the Personal Finance Society, an education officer for the Society in Cornwall and Plymouth, and was a finalist in last year’s Chartered Financial Planner of the Year category.

She said: “It is a thrill for me to win this award, particularly given the calibre of finalists and the rising standards of professionalism that have taken place across the our profession in recent years.”

“It is satisfying to be formally recognised for my many years of hard work and dedication to learning and development, and I look forward to continuing to represent the profession to the highest of standards for the benefit of my current and future clients.”

Mrs Gannon was one of 13 winners at this year’s revamped annual awards dinner, held in association with NS&I and hosted by celebrity comic and impressionist Rory Bremner.

Altrincham-based LIFT Financial Group was named Chartered Financial Planning Firm of the Year for the second time since 2012, while the list of practitioner awards was expanded to recognise specialist advisers across the society’s membership.

Society chief executive Keith Richards said the excellence displayed by all award winners reflected the heightened level of expertise and professionalism within the Society’s membership.

“This year we received more submissions to our practitioner awards than ever before and this reflects both the prestige that our annual awards now hold, as well as the heightened level of professionalism and dedication that has been evolving within our profession. Our award winners and finalists act as ambassadors for our profession, and they should be congratulated for their commitment to their clients as well as the profession more broadly.”

NS&I head of intermediary relationships Andrew Pike said: “It is so pleasing to see technical and professional excellence recognised by the professional body and broader financial advice community.”

“This year’s winners have shown a commitment to their profession and to their clients, and I congratulate them all for their high standards of achievement. They are an inspiration to those who are climbing the ranks of the financial advice profession.”

The awards dinner followed the Society’s penultimate National Financial Planning Symposium, which attracted more than 800 delegates to Wembley Stadium.

Personal Finance Society Personal Finance Awards 2016 – Adviser winners:

Chartered Financial Planner of the Year
Kathryn Gannon FPFS – Manning & Company (Cornwall)

Chartered Financial Planning Firm of the Year
LIFT Financial Group (Altrincham)

Paraplanner of the Year
Warren Bentham FPFS, Cert CII (MP) – 75point3 (St Asaph)

Retirement and Later Life Advice Specialist of the Year
Jonothan McColgan APFS, Certs CII (MP & ER) – Combined Financial Strategies (Bath)

Investment Advice Specialist of the Year
David Thomson APFS – VWM Wealth (Glasgow)

Mortgage & Protection Advice Specialist of the Year
Hazel Allinson DipPFS, Cert SMP – Smith & Pinching Group (Norwich)

MoneyPlanner of the Year
Jill Ellicott APFS, Certs CII (MP & ER) – Boyett Mayes & Associates (Binfield)

Lifetime Achievement Award
Lyn New