Accountancy firm Old Mill has won one of the financial planning profession’s highest accolades – the prestigious Institute of Financial Planning (IFP) David Norton award for building excellence.
The award, considered by many to be the most important in the profession, is made to those firms judged as building excellence in their financial planning business and are committed and have the potential to provide the very highest quality of financial planning services to their clients.
Old Mill, which employs 270 people across its offices in Melksham, Wells, Yeovil, Dorchester and Exeter, was runner up for the award last year.
The firm’s head of financial planning Paula Hodge said: “Having come so close to winning last year, we very much took the judges’ feedback on board and have worked hard to further develop and refine the Old Mill Financial planning experience.
“The application process is detailed and demanding and to finally receive this recognition from the IFP is such a great endorsement for us and testament to our continuing commitment to evolve our financial planning proposition and gives us the reassurance that we are very much on the right track.
“The development of our financial planning proposition is a continuous process at Old Mill for at our heart is an absolute commitment from the whole team to ensure that clients receive from us the best possible experience and outcomes.
“As the need for financial advice continues to grow which was underlined by the recent changes announced by the Government on pensions, we recognise that we, like other firms, will have a vital role to play in guiding people through an ever more complicated financial world to help them make the right decisions to live sound financial lives. We take this role very seriously hence our commitment to the continuous development of our financial planning proposition"
The award, given in memory of former IFP president David Norton, recognises the firm with ‘outstanding potential to develop as a successful financial planning firm’.
IFP chief executive Steve Gazzard, who was one of the judges, said: “Old Mill has taken a large advisory business and formed a financial planning business with a real focus on professional development, effective client segmentation, and aligning remuneration and rewards with financial planning related positive client outcomes.”
Old Mill Financial Planning specialise in providing financial planning, investment management and tax planning advice to clients who actively wish to engage in planning their financial future.
Pictured, from left: BBC Breakfast presenter Steph McGovern, who hosted the awards, Paula Hodge, Nick Cann and IFP chief executive Steve Gazzard
