The FAAA has announced the winners of its 2023 awards at a gala event conducted at the inaugural 2023 FAAA Congress in Adelaide. The five individual adviser award winners were:
- FAAA Adviser of the Year: Sacha Burchgart, founder of Sydney-based advice firm, Burcheart.
- FAAA Certified Financial Planner of the Year: Martin McGrath – Financial Edge Group, NSW
- FAAA Inspire Women – Excellence in Advice Award: Cara Williams – Sufficient Funds, Queensland
- FAAA Gen Next Rising Star of the Year: Jayden Adams – Adams Financial Group, Queensland
- FAAA University Student of the Year Award: Jacob Eliopoulos of Deakin University
The FAAA Professional Practice of the Year Award was taken out by WA firm, Boutique Advisers.
A statement released by the FAAA said the awards recognise professionals and businesses across Australia “…who provide the greatest standard of professional and trusted advice to consumers, as well as acknowledge outstanding university students who represent the future of the financial advice profession.”
FAAA CEO Sarah Abood commented that the awards “…recognise those who have delivered the highest standard of advice and represent the bright future of financial planning.”
The judges recognised Sacha Burchgart, winner of the FAAA Adviser of the Year accolade “…as a practitioner who is not just highly competent technically but also as someone who is always striving for excellence through her strong client-first approach.”
Commenting on the winner of the FAAA Certified Financial Planner of the Year Award, Martin McGrath, Abood said the judges were impressed with how McGrath “…demonstrated care, engagement and understanding of the needs of his clients. Martin provided strong examples of his strategic and technical advice and how this led to strong outcomes for his clients.”
The FAAA says Cara Williams, who received the FAAA Inspire Women – Excellence in Advice Award, articulated to the judges “…how her value propositions greatly improved not only her clients’ financial outcomes but also their lifestyles, as well as showing how her advice made a positive contribution to the wellbeing of her local community.”
Boutique Advisers, the winner of the FAAA Professional Practice of the Year Award, was commended by the judges “…for its bespoke approach to catering to each client, its tireless commitment to supporting and developing its team, and its focus on continuous improvement in a rapidly changing advice landscape.”
The judges were also impressed by professional achievements made by Jayden Adams, who is the FAAA Gen Next Rising Star of the Year, as a recent entrant to the sector, as well his full dedication to improving the advice profession and his local community.
Jacob Eliopoulos, the FAAA University Student of the Year Award, has outstanding university grades and shows that the future of financial advice in Australia is in good hands.
Abood also congratulated the finalists in each category. “The quality of the applications for each award was outstanding, and all the finalists should be very proud of their achievements.”
