They are young, enthusiastic and open, particularly when it comes to how they want to provide financial planning advice.

They are the next generation of financial planners and it is refreshing to read their stories in Money Management this week.

For the doomsayers who are predicting dark days for the profession on the back of growing consumer and regulatory scrutiny, these young guns are the antidote.

They believe product pushing is a bummer, disclosure is all the rage and that fee for service is cool, but that commissions also have a place.

Their generation is one that values hard work, but also believes strongly in lifestyle. The same values will drive the advice they give their clients.

They are the future of financial planning and it looks to be in safe hands.

Madden is back

It is with great pleasure that Money Management welcomes Bruce Madden back into the fold.

Madden was the editor of Money Management between 1995 and 1999, before moving on to launch another industry title, Asset.

He recently launched a new publication in the property sector, Commercial Property Gazette, and is now a director of BlueChip Communication Group.

From October 21, Madden returns to Money Management with a regular fortnightly column, where he will interview the financial services industry’s leading figures to get the inside story on the headlines that are dominating the sector.

As this week’s Point of View column (opposite) shows, Madden is a passionate believer in the financial services industry, as well as one of its more informed and critical thinkers.

His columns will add depth to the debate in the financial planning industry, particularly at a time when the critical eye on this sector has often been cast from outside, rather than from those who really understand it.