The global number of Certified Financial Planners (CFPs) grew by more than 8000 over the past 12 months to end 2012 at 139,818, according to the Financial Planning Standards Board (FPSB), owner of the international designation.
Topping the list was FPSB's member organisations in the People's Republic of China and the United States, each increasing their CFP count by 3,007 and 3,009 respectively.
This was followed by Japan (712), South Africa, Hong Kong, the Republic of Korea, Brazil and India, "showing the increased impact growth markets are having in establishing financial planning as a global profession", the FPSB stated.
The Americas – including Brazil, Canada and the US – ended the year with 85,516 CFPs, representing around 58 per cent of the global total.
Among the FPSB's 12 member organisations in the Asia-Pacific, the total number of CFP professionals grew by more than 4394 to 53,353.
Growth was not as strong in Europe, which reported a growth rate of 4.6 per cent to end the year at 4617.
Despite the economic uncertainty of 2012, FPSB chief executive Noel Maye said that CFP professional numbers are on track to exceed 150,000 within the coming year.
"FPSB and its member organisations are committed to working with regulators, firms, educators and others to promote consumer awareness of financial planning, and to benefit the public by establishing, upholding and promoting worldwide professional standards in financial planning," he said.
