IOOF launches new advice academy

The financial services company said in a statement that the IOOF Advice Academy will be the “pre­eminent” training and coaching resource for the financial planning industry. 

The academy will train advice businesses in an objectives- and outcomes-based client engagement model intended to increase client satisfaction and retention as well as profitability.

“As one of Australia’s leading financial advice businesses, we are pleased to be investing in the continued improvement in the quality of advice in Australia for the benefit of all Australians and helping our partner advisers build higher quality businesses,” said Renato Mota, IOOF Group’s general manager for wealth management.

“Placing the needs of investors at the heart of how we think about creating value for our advice partners is driving our investment in goals-­based advice and complements IOOF’s open architecture view of enabling quality advice.”

Industry consultant Dean Lombardo has been appointed to establish and lead the academy, following the success of a pilot program which has run for the past 24 months with IOOF’s Consultum licensee.

“The success of the pilot program has given us confidence that investing further to make a formal program available to Australian advisers will greatly benefit the whole industry,” Mr Mota said.

“Our vision is to create an environment where ongoing financial planning relationships deliver continual mutual value and enable clients to live their ideal lives and be free of financial concern.”

More information about the IOOF Advice Academy will be released in coming months, the group said.