Nov 17: FPSB India, the Indian subsidiary of Financial Planning Standards Board Ltd., hosted a day-long dialogue titled ‘Shaping Tomorrow: Building Practice Growth and Entrepreneurial Pathways for Certified Financial Planning® professionals’ in Hyderabad at Novotel Convention Centre. The conclave convened CFP® professionals, leaders, educators, and practitioners from across India’s financial services ecosystem to deliberate on emerging opportunities in the financial planning landscape. The event featured interactive workshops, case studies, and panel sessions aimed at fostering dialogue on skill development, ethics, and client-centric innovation within the financial planning profession.

Speaking about India’s emerging leadership in financial planning, Dante De Gori, CEO, FPSB International (FPSB Ltd.), said, “India is rapidly emerging as a hub of financial planning talent and innovation. By encouraging professionals to explore new pathways for practice growth and entrepreneurship, FPSB India is contributing to the broader goal of developing a strong, trusted community of financial planners who can serve clients with excellence and integrity.”

The event featured distinguished leaders from across the financial services industry. The keynote address was delivered by A. Balasubramanian, Managing Director & CEO of Aditya Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund, who set the tone for the day with his insightful session on “Rising Bharat: Charting a Bold Economic Future.” In his address, Mr Balasubramanian highlighted India’s defining moment in its economic journey — one that is stable, reform-driven, and poised for sustained long-term growth. He noted the steady compounding of household wealth and a transformational shift in investor behaviour, as individuals increasingly move from traditional saving habits to informed, diversified investment choices. This evolution, he emphasised, underscores the growing importance of financial planning and advisory services in empowering people to make thoughtful, goal-oriented financial decisions.

A Fireside Chat on “Best Practices & Growth Mantras for Financial Planning Professionals” featured Dr. Ritwik Mishra, Chief Client Officer, Knolskape, Ashish Modani CFP®, CEO & Founder, SLA Finserv, and was moderated by Teena Rawal, Head of Business Development, FPSB India.

Immersive workshops through the day featured B. Srinivasan, Director, Shree Sidvin, on “Common Do’s and Don’ts in Practice”; Vishal Dhawan, Co-Founder, Plan Ahead Wealth Advisors, on “Regulatory and Compliance Frameworks”; and Dr. Vaibhav S. Joshi, Co-Founder, Tableturn Tech, on “Personal Finance and its Convergence with Fintech.”

The sessions focused on compliance frameworks, fintech convergence, and key insights for professional practice.

A panel discussion on “Integrating Health and Financial Well-being” brought together Arun Thukral, Professor of Practice, K J Somaiya Institute of Management; Preeti D’Silva, Regional Head – West, Aon Risk Insurance Brokers Ltd., Maj. Hemendra Kumar Singh, Corporate Vice President & National Head – Defence Affinity Business, Axis Max Life, Akhil Chaturvedi, CFP® MD & CBO, Motilal Oswal AMC and Nisha Sanghavi, CFP® Co-Founder & Director at Promore Fintech Pvt. Ltd.

Other immersive workshops included “Self-Branding for CFP® Professionals” by Amisha Sethi, Sr. Vice President – Policy & Communications, FPSB India, and a fireside chat “Psychology in Practice” by Sagneet Kaur, Sr. Vice President – Behavioural Finance & Consumer Insights, PGIM and Anshul Srivastava, Head – Standards and Examinations, FPSB India, who also provided insights on orientation & standards through a special session, followed by closing remarks by Alok Kumar, Head – Certifications & Engagements, FPSB India.

Speaking at the event, Chandrakant Sureka, CEO (Interim), FPSB India, said, “As the financial ecosystem evolves, FPSB India remains focused on strengthening the professional capabilities of financial planners and aligning practices with global standards. We continue to encourage financial professionals to combine technical expertise with ethical integrity and client empathy.”

The conclave culminated with the FPSB India Awards and New Certificant Ceremony 2025, which recognised achievements across students, educators, education providers, and professionals. Following the success of its inaugural edition in 2024, this year’s ceremony introduced new award categories to celebrate excellence and innovation in financial planning. The event also honoured individuals who recently earned the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® certification, marking their entry into the global community of trusted financial planning professionals.

The conclave concluded with a shared commitment among participants to further collaboration, enhance financial education, and uphold professional standards that strengthen India’s position in the global financial planning community.