AIOFP members head to Vietnam

19 March 2010 | by Lucinda Beaman

Peter Johnston

About 100 members of the Association of Independently-Owned Financial Planners (AIOFP) will be in Vietnam this weekend for the association’s two-day annual conference.

The AIOFP’s conference agenda shows the official schedule running over two days, with one five-hour session on each.

The extended program invited members to fly to Bangkok earlier this week, take in a one to two-day cruise of Halong Bay next week, and then attend the Rugby Sevens tournament in Hong Kong next weekend.

The association’s Filtered Research Committee will be officially launched at the conference. It is also expected that the partners for the AIOFP’s investment platform will be announced. Speaking at the conference regarding the platform is Asgard’s Mark Aufderheide and Oasis’ Andrew Rawlinson, along with Australian Financial Services’ Peter Daly, who is on the board of the platform.

Another speaker at the conference, according to AIOFP executive director Peter Johnston, will be Townsville-based Isi Dalle Cort who is “the most successful MLC/NAB adviser in Australia”.

The AIOFP pre-conference material said Dalle Cort from Dalle Cort Financial Services was recommended by MLC/NAB head of distribution Richard Nunn as having “the perfect business model”.

Isi Dalle Cort is not to be confused with his cousin, Gus Dalle Cort, who ran Storm Financial’s Cairns office prior to the dealer group’s high profile collapse.

In a similar fashion to Storm Financial, Dalle Cort has a 12-step ‘client induction process’, of which step three is an introduction to gearing. The dealer group also advertises that it has a NAB personal banker on site in its Townsville office. Nunn, former head of distribution for Colonial First State, is expected to speak on the post-Ripoll report environment for financial advice as well as NAB’s intentions towards Professional Investment Services.

Other topics for discussion are agribusiness managed investment schemes, UBS’ view on structured products, the new margin lending regime and the Australian property market, with additional speakers from the Australian Securities Exchange, MLC, Russell Consulting and the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Guest speakers include the Australian Ambassador to Vietnam, His Excellency Allaster Cox, Legends Club general manager Peter Gibson and Western Sydney Football Club coach Kevin Sheedy.

Add a comment11 Comments

BB | 23 March, 2010 at 10:35 AM
Jason: Conferences should not bee seen as a PR issue, have you ever been involved with Law or Medical conferences???? Ask how often your lawyer or surgeon is invited to some lavish European destination! Such events are designed for professionals to mix business and pleasure, its how we "professionals" get holidays. A null issue really.
Planner | 22 March, 2010 at 05:39 PM
Stig, no I do not belong to the AIOFP. I do use Asgard, and I notice Asgard is speaking at the conference re a new platform for the AIOFP. If Asgard lowers itself to accepting monies from this group after the Astarra debacle, then I am not sure I want to do business with them anymore. Someone needs to say enough is enough, that it's not just about money. Clients welfare is at stake, and so is my reputation as a Planner.
The Stig | 22 March, 2010 at 03:54 PM
What are you on about "Planner" - there is nothing left in the pot...... "Planner" do you belong to AIOFP? By the way I wonder if Seagrim and Johnston are back from the vacation - sorry i meant conference - and did they look for any of their poor investors funds....... The list of presenters at the vacation was EXTRAORDINARY - Monkey see / Monkey do!!!!!
ex-staff | 22 March, 2010 at 11:41 AM
Hope you enjoy the conference, don't worry your team will continue to take the heat from clients who still have no idea when (or if) they will see their money.
Planner | 22 March, 2010 at 10:11 AM
I for one, will be asking lot's of questions of any platform providers that are too eager to get their hand's on the fallout from Astarra via AIOFP members
Jason | 19 March, 2010 at 08:22 PM
The industry would improve it's image and reputation if it held these 'conferences' in less far-flung destinations. This looks more like a package holiday wrapped as a tax deduction. Will the fundies be paying for drinks each night? I'm not knocking this - but the industry can't in one breath to be taken as a serious profession and then run events like this and expect to be taken seriously.
The Stig | 19 March, 2010 at 03:12 PM
john - i apologise. you may be correct and i am sorry for not thinking that Mr Johnston would be following up client investments. Are the Seagrims on the conference(hang on i will call their office)..... nup ... i have to leave a message...(are they on the conference?) sorry i can't disclose where they are........
Con Flicked | 19 March, 2010 at 03:04 PM
No surprises here. The vicious cycle continues. Who are these guys really looking after?? Themselves or the investors.
john | 19 March, 2010 at 02:05 PM
Stig, don't be so cynical - of course they are in Hong Kong looking for their clients lost monies. What say you P1 and P2?
tpf | 19 March, 2010 at 12:59 PM
OK so can we assume the attendees are there at their own cost - or is this another junket funded by retail investors via product provider/platform MER? I'm pretty sure I know the answer - another conflicted position and slap in the face for the average joe.
The Stig | 19 March, 2010 at 11:58 AM
This is unbelievable. I thought Mr Johnston would be relentlessly chasing funds for his clients in the Astarra/Trio disaster. what a slap in the face to investors who do not know what is left of their super...... The height of arrogance - i hope they enjoy the trip. i wonder who paid for the trip ?????????