Chairman of the inaugural Personal Finance Society (PFS) Regional seminar, Sharon Sutton, has confirmed that the Collins Stewart sponsored event was a success.

With positive feedback from the 35 attending delegates, representative of the Island’s leading financial advisory firms, the PFS has committed to including the Isle of Man on its future programme of quarterly events.

Sharon (pictured second left) commented, "This is majorly important for the ongoing professional development of our local IFAs and the announcement comes at a most opportune and welcome time.

"The PFS, as the financial services arm of the Chartered Insurance Institute, has over 24,000 members in the British Isles and over 300 CII members locally."

Seminar sessions included Business Development, with Steve Kember (Chief Executive, Suuqea) and Dermot Hamill (Head of Wealth Management at Collins Stewart Wealth Management), who looked at 'Investment in 2010’; Best Practice and Ideas Exchange and an Estate Planning Case Study with Alan Downing (Akira Training Ltd) and Phillip Dearden (Managing Director of Pannell Kerr Forster (IOM)).

Phillip commented, "Alan Downing certainly knows his stuff but not all of your members will have thought it relevant to what goes on in the Isle of Man.

"All of the professions have this problem: courses and exams are designed for UK practitioners but the need in the Isle of Man is a bit different."

The next Regional PFS meeting will be held in May 2010.