In his Christmas card he thanks members for making 2011 a year to remember for the IFP as it celebrated its 25th anniversary at the Celtic Manor.

He also called on members to be ready for 2012, a crucial year for the intermediary sector as the countdown to the RDR changes on 1 January 2013 gets under way.

Mr Cann also urged members to do all they can in the coming year to encourage more new members to sign up to join the IFP. He said members could do a great deal by talking and engaging with non-members to explain the benefits of membership.

He also called on members to engage with the IFP in 2012 by getting involved and by suggesting ideas for ways in which the profession can develop and grow. He said member involvement was one of the most powerful forces for change and development.

Members can view Mr Cann's festive message at http://t.co/xFPlYQT3

• During the next two weeks Financial Planner Online will continue to bring you the latest developments with the IFP and with the Financial Planning profession. There will be fewer daily stories than usual during the quieter Christmas and New Year Period but we'll still bring you any important announcements. The only days the daily news service will not be operating will be public holidays. Our normal service will resume from 2 January. To keep up with the latest news why not sign up now for our Twitter news alerts @FPM_Online. Signing up for a Twitter account is free and our news alert service is free too. You can also sign up for our free weekly e-newsletter. Just enter your name and email address and you'll get the e-newsletter –a summary of the week's news - each week on Fridays.