Heraud joins the FPA board

Ian Heraud will replace Ray Griffin as principal member representative on the Financial Planning Association (FPA) board, when Griffin steps down as chairman next month.

Heraud will be joined by the current FPA board members, Kevin Bailey, Greg Gunther, David Middleton and Kate Stephenson, who were all re-elected at the recent poll.

Heraud says he will take a non-political stance at the FPA , preferring to promote professionalism and education among financial planners.

"In my new position I have no barrows to push other than the continued professionalism within financial planning," he says.

"I am also not coming into the position with political views. I will form a view based on arguments presented. I have never been involved in the politics in the FPA, and I still have no interest."

Heraud begins his position at the first board meeting prior to the FPA conference on December 6.

He says pressure from the public is making education one of the key issue facing planners today.

"In the past years the industry's marks, CFP and DFP have continued development.

Further education for the planners in this industry is important as we all need to continue to earn our title."

At present, Heraud is in talks with members of Melbourne's Deacon University and University of Western Sydney about ways of developing financial planning education.

Heraud is a financial planner with his Melbourne-based firm, Heraud Harrison. He has been involved with the financial planning industry since 1992.

He is currently chairman of the FPA's education committee and reference committee, but will leave these committees at the end of this year.