In a landmark moment for Malaysia’s financial advisory and insurance sector, the National Association of Malaysian Life Insurance and Family Takaful Advisors (NAMLIFA) has joined forces with its international education partner and course developer, Kaplan Professional Australia, to launch the newly-developed Fellow Chartered Financial Practitioner (FChFP) Certification in Malaysia. On completion of the programme, individuals will be awarded the prestigious FChFP designation by the Asia Pacific Financial Services Association (APFinSA) – the largest financial services council in the Asia-Pacific, comprising of nine member countries. With a focus on practical content and real-world scenarios delivered by experienced and practising professionals, the FChFP Certification introduces practitioners to the products, markets and regulatory environment of Malaysia’s financial advisory and insurance sector. It is also designed to help insurance agents better serve their clients through improved understanding of their goals and needs, both immediately and as they change over time. By covering the breadth and depth of client engagement and psychology, programme participants will learn techniques that will result in improved client retention and a reduction of lapsed client insurance policies. In an interesting turn of events, NAMLIFA was the first member country of APFinSA to launch the FChFP Certification and there are close to 5,500 graduates in Malaysia today. 25 years later, NAMLIFA is now in the position to launch the completely new version of this world-class programme. This exciting development comes at an important time where the recent economic transformation of Malaysia has seen a rise in affluence. This means regulators are more carefully monitoring financial advice and are focused on lifting standards. NAMLIFA President Mr. G. Saseedaran said its objective with the new FChFP Certification is to help uplift the professionalism of its members through education for insurance agents and agencies. “There is currently a push by regulators for insurance agents to broaden and deepen their knowledge in order to improve their comprehensive financial and insurance planning skills. “As the premier organisation for life insurance professionals and financial practitioners, it is fundamentally important for NAMLIFA to be at the forefront of this movement. “By offering the FChFP Certification in partnership with a globally-renowned education provider who is established throughout the world such as Kaplan Professional Australia, it positions NAMLIFA as a credible educator within the life agency channel who can help equip our members with financial planning knowledge and skills,” he said. APFinSA International Certification & Standards Board Chairman and Malaysia Board Member Mr. SK Samy said the FChFP Certification would bolster and safeguard the life insurance industry in Malaysia. “Our objectives with the FChFP Certification are to set the benchmark for ethics and professional responsibilities, while providing a platform for the continuing professional development of insurance agents. “In addition to sourcing, developing and promoting quality financial tools to enhance performance, we want to help prepare programme participants to assume multi-functional roles in a rapidly changing financial environment, both locally here in Malaysia and globally. “The FChFP Certification supports the development and professionalism of financial practitioners, positioning them as trusted professionals capable of positively impacting the well-being of clients’ lives through quality and transformational advice,” he said. Kaplan Professional Australia Chief Executive Officer Mr. Brian Knight the new FChFP Certification presented significant opportunities for both financial advisory practitioners and Malaysians. “The programme is designed to help individuals deepen their financial planning knowledge and technical skills, and the practical application of both, while gaining a highly-regarded certification. “This can help them with increased confidence and improved client engagement skills through the ability to maintain relevance to clients over the long term. “Employers who encourage their agents to complete the programme will gain more qualified and professional agents who can provide better quality advice, which may result in improved client retention and a broader uptake of products. “The FChFP Certification’s focus on financial planning best practice for Malaysian consumers now and into the future makes it especially pertinent for those who may not yet hold a professional designation, or those who are seeking to elevate their career and make the most of the opportunities presented by Malaysia’s economic transformation,” he said. The FChFP Certification encompasses five core subjects: FChFP1: Introduction to Financial Planning FChFP2: Personal and Business Insurance Planning FChFP3: Investment and Retirement Planning FChFP4: Estate and Tax Planning FChFP5: Financial Planning in Practice (capstone) Each subject is completed via a full-day workshop (five in total) over a one-week period. Workshops are facilitated by local and international industry experts, and are complemented by first-class online resources, case studies and access to international academic libraries and industry publications. Programme participants must have a minimum two years’ relevant industry experience in job roles within the insurance, financial planning, wealth management and/or private banking sectors, in addition to being a NAMLIFA member. The inaugural intake commences on 22 July in Kuala Lumpur (Selangor). Further intakes in Kuala Lumpur are planned later in the year, along with other regions such as Johor Bahru and Penang. Corporate cohorts are encouraged and can be tailored to each organisation’s specific needs, including on-site training.