Wealth Professional Awards 2021

BDMs are essential in the fund/advisor relationship. This award recognizes the lender BDM/wholesaler who has displayed excellence over the past 12-18 months, offers superior service to advisors. BDMs may nominate themselves and the WPA team will also review nominations from peers and clients. Considerable weight will be placed on nominations that come directly from the advisory and financial planning community.

• Accessibility and communication
• Demonstrated understanding of their advisors’ businesses
• Product knowledge
• Value contributed to advisors
• Year over year growth
• Business development
• Overall client service and relationship management

This award goes to the CEO that has demonstrated exceptional leadership over the last 12 months, bringing their organization to a new level of growth and success and stimulating the wealth management industry.

Nominees must be in a C-Level or equivalent position at an advisory network, advisory firm, fund company, or service provider to advisors

• Demonstration of vision, leadership and engagement of workforce
• Corporate growth, achievements, recognition, performance and positive financial results reflective of leadership
• Commitment to corporate values (e.g. values, innovation, customer care, knowledge and education)
• Commitment to the wealth management industry
• Industry reputation

This award is given to the advisor, advisory team or advisor office that has best harnessed technology and digital solutions to improve their business, aid their advisors, and leverage overall client experience over the last 12-18 months.

This category looks at the organization’s use of wealth technology and digital platform/solution/resource/software/s such as (but not limited to) CRM, digital marketing, mobile technology, electronic document management, connectivity platforms, and collaboration tools. Service/solution providers are not eligible nominees in this category.

Advisory teams, offices, and networks may nominate themselves. Extra weight will be placed on nominations that come from those in a position to assess an advisory team’s or office’s use of technology and innovation.

• Overall use of digital platforms and wealth technology solutions in the last 12-18 months, demonstrating positive outcomes
• Clear narrative demonstrating the needs identification process for implementation of the technology
• Alignment of the use of the technology with the organization’s broader goals
• Innovation in the types of technology used
• Efficiencies and cost savings gained from use of technology
• Evidence of return on investment and impact on staff engagement and performance

This award recognizes a multi-office advisor network, brokerage, or fund provider's commitment to building a workplace that recognizes excellence and supports career growth for all. This award recognizes the company that has earned the reputation to be called an employer of choice within the wealth management and financial planning industry.

Nominations by employees, partners, peers, and clients are welcome. Extra weight will be placed on nominations that come from those in a position to assess the brokerage objectively.

• Must have greater than 50 employees within Canada and be in the wealth management industry.
• Demonstrates unique employee value proposition (e.g. business development support, marketing support, education, training, philanthropy)
• Defined workplace brand & culture to foster growth for employees
• Innovative approach to employee recruitment, retention, talent management, learning & development, mitigating employer-related risks, managing changes within the business (i.e. digitalization, customer expectations, compliance)
• Exemplary reputation within the industry

This award recognizes the wealth professional whose efforts have gone beyond the requirements of their position to advance the ETF industry in Canada over the last 12 months.

Eligible nominees are wealth professionals in the ETF industry (not limited to advisors) actively implementing ETFs in their book of business or practice in the last 12 months.

Nominees may nominate themselves and the WPA team will also consider input from peers, clients, and superiors. Extra weight will be placed on nominations that come from those in a position to assess a nominee’s performance objectively.

• Year-over-year advancement in implementing ETFs into practice, whether through innovation or new product launches
• Efforts to innovate, promote & communicate the value of ETFs to their clients and industry
• Exemplifying the impact of the individual and organization on the broader ETF industry in Canada

This award recognizes the outstanding fund company that consistently delivered superior advisor service while pushing the boundaries with innovation and industry best practices over the last 12 months.

Fund companies may nominate themselves and the WPA team will also consider input from partners and clients. 

Effective client relationship management strategies and stakeholder engagement

• Administration or technology solutions where strategic thinking, collaboration and excellence have made a key impact with advisors
• Sustained effort and commitment to the advisor channel
• Corporate social responsibility, diversity and inclusion, and responsible investment (PRI) initiatives.

This is the highest honour and most coveted award at the Wealth Professional Awards. This award recognizes and celebrates a leading figure who has contributed much to the advancement of the wealth management and financial planning industry in Canada. Though there are no defined parameters, this award will acknowledge someone with an established history and reputation of distinguished service to the wealth management and financial planning profession and who has exhibited leadership and provided inspiration to others in the sector and own workplace, whilst putting the interests of the industry at the top of their priorities throughout their career.

There are no finalists for this category. Nominations will be evaluated by the WPA team. The recipient of this award will be contacted 3-4 weeks before the awards event and will be announced at the Wealth Professional Awards.

This award recognizes the young advisor who has displayed excellence with more than three years of experience as an advisor. To be eligible, nominees must have been accredited as an advisor on or before 1 January 2017 and must be under 40 years old. Advisors may nominate themselves and the WPA team will also review nominations from peers and clients. Considerable weight will be placed on nominations that come directly from the nominee’s superiors, advisory heads and networks.

• Must have been accredited as an advisor on or before 1 January 2018
• Must be under 40 years old
• Year over year growth in book volume and revenue contributions
• Exemplary business development strategies to prospect and retain clients in innovative ways.
• Client retention & relationship strategies & how it sets the advisor apart from competition

Client care and service are an incredibly important measure of any advisory team’s or office’s long-term sustainability and success. This award recognizes the advisory team or office that has displayed excellence over the last 12 months in maintaining consistent and sustainable customer service standards.

 Advisory teams or offices may nominate themselves and the WPA team will also consider input from peers, partners, and advisory network heads. Extra weight will be placed on nominations that come from clients and those in a position to assess an advisory team’s or office’s client service.

• Client service proposition and approach
• Commitment to product offerings, product knowledge and education
• Innovation in service (i.e. customer communication, suite of product offerings, customer education and resources)
• Reflection of client strategy in business success

This award recognizes the most outstanding portfolio manager in Canada who has displayed excellence over the last 12 months. Eligible nominees are portfolio/discretionary managers (in the advisor channel or the private discretionary division), compensated by clients (not a fund).

Portfolio managers may nominate themselves and the WPA team will also consider input from peers and clients. Extra weight will be placed on nominations that come from those in a position to assess a portfolio manager’s performance objectively.

• Must be a portfolio/discretionary manager (in the advisor channel or the private discretionary division)
• Must be compensated by clients (not a fund)
• Year over year growth in book volume and revenue contributions
• Exemplary business development strategies to prospect and retain clients in innovative ways.
• Client retention & relationship strategies & how it sets the advisor apart from competition
• Value added to the brand represented
• Results achieved by product offerings

This award recognizes the advisory team that has best displayed excellence over the last 12 months offering a full suite of services including but not limited to insurance, succession consulting, investments, tax and estate planning, mortgage, retirement & other services to suit client needs.

Advisors may nominate themselves and the WPA team will also consider input from peers, clients, advisory heads and networks. Extra weight will be placed on nominations that come from those in a position to assess an advisory team’s performance objectively.

• Year over year growth in book volume and revenue contributions
• Variety of products and services
• Exemplary business development strategies to prospect and retain clients in innovative ways.
• Client retention & relationship strategies & how it sets the advisor team apart from competition

This award recognizes the most outstanding advisory team or office with fewer than 10 staff (including full-time equivalents, advisors and support staff) that has displayed excellence over the last 12 months. 

Advisory teams or offices may nominate themselves and the WPA team will also consider input from peers, partners, and clients. Extra weight will be placed on nominations that come from advisory networks or those in a position to assess an advisory team or office objectively.

• Year over year AUM growth
• Employee value proposition (business development support, marketing support, education, training, philanthropy)
• Overall client service and relationship management
• Growth strategy
• Spirit of innovation with use of wealth technology and digital platforms/tools
• Industry reputation

This award recognizes the Advisors, Advisory Teams and organizations in the wealth management industry whose outstanding contribution of time, leadership and financial support over a sustained period of time, beyond normal expectations, has made significant impacts in the receiving causes or communities.

Advisors, Advisory Teams and organizations may nominate themselves and the WPA team will also consider input from peers, partners, and clients. Extra weight will be placed on nominations that come from beneficiaries and advisory networks or those in a position to assess an advisory team or office objectively.

• Major philanthropy and community service programs or initiatives over the last 12 months
• Link with broader corporate goals or strategies (i.e. company culture, employee engagement etc)
• Impact on local, national or international causes or communities
• Contribution in $ and/or in time figures
• Overall commitment to philanthropy and community service
• Testimonials from beneficiaries or partners

This award recognizes the most outstanding advisory network or brokerage that has displayed excellence over the last 12 months.

Networks or brokerages may nominate themselves and the WPA team will also consider input from partners, peers and clients. 

• Year over year AUM growth
• Employee value proposition (business development support, marketing support, education, training, philanthropy)
• Overall client service and relationship management
• Growth strategy
• Spirit of innovation with use of wealth technology and digital platforms/tools
• Industry reputation

This award recognizes the most outstanding advisory team or office with 10 Staff or more) (including full-time equivalents, advisors and support staff) that has displayed excellence over the last 12 months. 

• Year over year AUM growth
• Employee value proposition (business development support, marketing support, education, training, philanthropy)
• Overall client service and relationship management
• Growth strategy
• Spirit of innovation with use of wealth technology and digital platforms/tools
• Industry reputation

This award recognizes the outstanding female advisor who has been a trailblazer in the wealth management and financial planning industry. This advisor is someone whose astounding personal and professional achievements have earned them a place among the industry’s best.

Advisors may nominate themselves and the WPA team will also consider input from peers, clients, advisory heads and networks. 

• Open only to advisors
• Professional accomplishments over the last 5 years (e.g. business initiatives in which the nominee played a critical role, new business brought to the company, innovative ideas, etc)
• Demonstrate promotion, influence and championing of women within the wealth management and financial planning industry
• Other relevant accolades and involvements (charitable work, accomplishments outside the industry, leadership or professional associations, etc)

This award recognizes the advisor who has displayed excellence over the last 12 months in alternative solutions, namely investments in asset classes other than stocks, bonds and cash, featuring low correlations to traditional asset classes. Alternative solutions may include equity or fixed income mutual funds using alternative strategies, real estate, infrastructure, commodities, hedge funds, private equity and structured products.

Advisors may nominate themselves and the WPA team will also consider input from peers, clients, advisory heads and networks. Extra weight will be placed on nominations that come from those in a position to assess an advisor’s performance objectively

• Knowledge and understanding of alternative investment opportunities for their clients portfolios
• Communicate the allocation alternative investment strategies within book of business.
• Client retention & relationship strategies & how it sets the advisor apart from competition within alternative investments
• Examples of ways that advisor is educating the industry/clientele on alternative strategies
• Approach to regulatory compliance

The goal of financial literacy is to empower Canadians with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to make informed financial decisions.

 This award will recognize a truly exceptional financial professional who has demonstrated leadership and commitment to bettering the lives of individuals and families by promoting financial literacy and actively working to educate members of their community. Nominees should be involved in a financial literacy initiative that engages their audience and inspires them to take positive action towards their own financial well-being. This individual commits their time, financial support, and/or resources to improving the lives of Canadians through educating adults, seniors, or children.

It can be in any format: classroom training, workshop, game, or mobile app. The goal should be to facilitate better outcomes for those participating.

• Must be involved in a financial literacy initiative in any format
• Contribution to financial literacy initiative
• Commitment to lifelong learning by furthering their financial knowledge through formal education programs

This award is one of the highest accolades offered to an individual in the wealth management and financial planning industry. This award recognizes the most outstanding advisor in Canada, coming from an advisory firm or team, regardless of business size and model.

Advisors may nominate themselves and the WPA team will also consider input from peers, clients, advisory heads and networks.

Extra weight will be placed on nominations that come from those in a position to assess an advisor’s performance objectively.

• Year over year growth in book volume and revenue contributions
• Exemplary business development strategies to prospect and retain clients in innovative ways.
• Client retention & relationship strategies & how it sets the advisor apart from competition

This award recognizes the advisor who has displayed excellence over the last 12 months in socially responsible investments.

Advisors may nominate themselves and the WPA team will also consider input from peers, clients, advisory heads and networks.

Extra weight will be placed on nominations that come from those in a position to assess an advisor’s performance objectively.

• Knowledge and understanding of responsible investment opportunities for their clients portfolios
• Communicate the allocation of ESG/socially responsible strategies within book of business.
• Client retention & relationship strategies & how it sets the advisor apart from competition within SRI
• Examples of ways that advisor is educating the industry/clientele on SRI strategies.

This award recognizes the advisor who has displayed excellence in their first three years as an advisor. To be eligible, nominees must have been accredited as an advisor on or after 1 January 2017. Advisors may nominate themselves and the WPA team will also review nominations from peers and clients. Considerable weight will be placed on nominations that come directly from the nominee’s superiors, advisory heads and networks.

• Must have been accredited as an advisor on or after 1 January 2017
• Year over year growth in book volume and revenue contributions
• Exemplary business development strategies to prospect and retain clients in innovative ways.
• Client retention & relationship strategies & how it sets the advisor apart from competition

This award recognizes the advisor who has displayed excellence and actively implemented Canadian exchanged-traded derivatives in their book of business over the last 12 months.

Advisors may nominate themselves and the WPA team will also consider input from peers, clients, advisory heads and networks. Extra weight will be placed on nominations that come from those in a position to assess an advisor’s performance objectively.

• Must be a portfolio/discretionary manager (in the advisor channel or the private discretionary division)
• Must be an advisor that has actively implemented Canadian exchanged-traded derivatives (options and/or) in their book of business in the last 12 months
• Use of derivatives to enhance the risk-adjusted returns of clients
• Commitment to the education of their clients on exchange-traded derivatives
• Year over year growth in book volume and revenue contributions
• Business development
• Overall client service and relationship management

This award acknowledges the contributions of a company or individual with a proven track record of providing financial advisors & offices with the superior service and assistance needed to perform their duties. This award will be determined through nominations as well as an WP Online poll of the most popular service providers of the year, servicing those working in the financial services industry.

Criteria:

• Must be a provider which services the wealth management industry & stakeholders
• Demonstrates a unique value proposition and major strengths amongst competition
• Provides exemplary service to assist financial professionals achieve their own objectives
• Has consistently innovated and can show how they stayed ahead of the curve for the betterment of the industry