The chief executive of Succession Group says it “is commercially and morally right” to train his staff to at least Level 6 qualification after embarking on a pilot scheme with the IFP.
Simon Chamberlain, who entered the industry as a trainee under former IFP President Ian Shipway FIFP CFPCM, said there was no limit to the standards he wants his advisers to obtain.

Under the partnership with the IFP, he said 44 staff would train for Level 6 qualifications, with 41 having signed up so far. These include advisers, Paraplanners and compliance staff.

All 44 places are expected to be taken by the end of May and the company anticipates it will be completed within two years.

Mr Chamberlain, talking exclusively to Financial Planner Online, said it was “imperative” that there was a “cultural experience of on-going education for advisers”.

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He said: “It’s no joke, it’s a big commitment of time and manpower but I think it’s one that is commercially and morally right.

“44 is the start for us, across the national business there’s about 200 members of staff, I’d expect a rolling sign up to the programme.”

Mr Chamberlain has ambitions to push the drive for standards as high as possible and spoke of “continual advancement” of advisers to improve service to clients.

He said: “Level 6 is not my goal, that’s where I’m starting our journey, it will go beyond a Level 6, it will be ongoing, cultural, and I don’t see there being a stopping point, there’s no minimum standard we’re looking at.”

He pointed to his beginnings in financial services as key to his attitude to training and qualifications.

He said: “The person who recruited me into the industry was Ian Shipway, I was his first trainee 25 years ago. Ian had those standards then.

“I have always been surrounded by people who believe that is the journey, so if you grow up in that culture you believe it.”

He said he had always had a close relationship with the IFP and has sponsored events many times.

Mr Chamberlain added: “We want our clients to be in the safest possible culture and that stems from all of the things that we use, all the way through to the conduct of our advisers.

“Our number one priority is safeguarding the asset for the client by making sure the asset never leaves the legal control of our advisory company, which is why Succession owns its own platform.”