With the high net worth sector in Asia-Pacific expanding rapidly, the Insurance and Financial Practitioners Association of Singapore (IFPAS) has collaborated with their international education partner and course developer, Kaplan Professional Australia, to deliver the highly-regarded High Net Worth (HNW) Certification programme. The HNW Certification was designed and developed in Singapore for the Asia-Pacific wealth management market, leveraging local and global best practice. The programme is designed to equip practitioners with the knowledge and expertise to provide quality financial advice to high net worth individuals. It also provides a practical roadmap for future business success in a dynamic and ever-changing environment.
The HNW Certification is accredited by the Institute of Banking and Finance (Singapore) under the IBF Skills Framework for Financial Services Level 2 and Level 3. It is a purpose-built programme for existing financial planners, insurance agents and bank assurance specialists to be recognised as a Senior Financial Planner within the IBF Skills Framework.
IFPAS President Mr. Carlos Lee said IFPAS believes practitioners should strive to meet the highest personal and professional behaviours to meet community expectations and enhance the reputation and credibility of financial advisers. “Practitioners and executives admitted to the HNW Certification share the same attitudes and commitments as IFPAS towards championing professional standards and higher education achievement.
“The philosophy underpinning this executive education programme is founded on the following principles – deep technical knowledge, emotional intelligence, and digital capability and engagement.”
“The HNW Certification represents the pinnacle of achievement, providing formal recognition of the highest standard of competence and skill within the financial advice discipline. “It was important for IFPAS to partner a high quality international education provider. Kaplan Professional Australia has an outstanding reputation in that country and globally,” he said. Kaplan Professional Australia Chief Executive Officer Mr. Brian Knight said there was significant demand for quality financial services education programmes in Asia-Pacific tailored to the high net worth market.”
“We know Asia-Pacific is the largest global high net worth region and this wealth is expected to surpass USD $42 trillion by 2025. This means there is a growing need for advisers to solve increasingly complex problems for their clients and family offices.
“The HNW Certification presents a unique opportunity for the benefit of Singaporean consumers and the Asia-Pacific high net worth market. “As Australia’s leading provider of financial services education, we are pleased that IFPAS has engaged us as their international partner and course developer. It will enable us to focus on what we can bring to the Asia-Pacific market in regard to the quality of education we deliver,” he said.
Practitioners will significantly benefit from a peer-driven and blended learning model that this programme is based on, according to Mr. Knight. “The HNW Certification encompasses six subjects and is delivered through a sophisticated and blended learning approach. Lectures are delivered by international and local practitioners and these are complemented by first-class online resources, case studies and access to international academic libraries and industry publications.
“There are six annual intakes each year, which means practitioners have the flexibility to plan their studies to suit their work and personal commitments,” he said.
The six subjects in the HNW Certification are:
- Private wealth and family office: environment, trends and client focus
- Business structuring and tax considerations (including beyond borders advice)
- Estate planning strategies for high net worth individuals and family offices
- Insurance solutions and asset protection for high net worth individuals
- Private wealth investment strategies and portfolio construction
- Applied business strategy for high net worth individuals and family offices
Participants should have a minimum of three years’ relevant industry experience in insurance, wealth management and private banking roles within the financial services industry. Corporate cohorts are welcome and can be arranged to suit an organisation’s requirements. The total programme fee is SGD $7,500. IBF-STS enhanced funding is available for eligible participants. The enhanced funding rate is up to 95% of the total programme fee prior to 30 June 2021 and 90% from 1 July to 31 December 2021.
Interviews with Mr. Carlos Lee and Mr. Brian Knight are available on request. Please contact IFPAS and Kaplan Professional
Australia’s media contacts for more information.
IFPAS
Kat Guru
P: +65 9237 3577
E: pr@ifpas.org.sg
Kaplan Professional Australia
Vicky Labroski
P: +61 407 009 166
E: vicky.labroski@kaplan.edu.au
Tom Baldwin
P: +61 407 029 666
E: tom.baldwin@kaplan.edu.au
About the Insurance and Financial Practitioners Association of Singapore
Since 1969, the Insurance and Financial Practitioners Association of Singapore (IFPAS) has been the leading professional association for financial advisers. We represent the interests of our members on legislative, regulatory and policy-related matters. Our role is to advocate, innovative and inspire on behalf of our members to advance the financial advice profession’s social contribution and positively shape consumers’ perceptions of the financial services industry. For more information about IFPAS, please visit www.ifpas.org.sg and www.hnwcertification.com.
About Kaplan Professional Australia
Kaplan Professional Australia is a leading provider of financial planning, real estate, mortgage broking, insurance and leadership education. Delivering services to over 45,000 industry professionals each year, Kaplan Professional Australia is at the forefront of practical and relevant education in Australia. Kaplan Professional Australia’s progressive and customer-focused approach has cemented our reputation as the trusted corporate partner to many major institutions in the country. For more information, visit: www.kaplanprofessional.edu.au.
