Two Financial Planning organisations are set to merge to potentially create another 3,500 Certified Financial Planner professionals, it was announced this morning.

The union of the two Netherlands groups was declared by the US based Financial Planning Standards Board, which licenses the Certified Financial Planner certification. The news comes hot on the heels of the IFP’s own merger with the CISI which has been sealed in recent weeks.
FPSB officials welcomed the merger of Financial Planning Standards Board Nederland with Stichting Certificering Federatie Financieel Planners, the certification arm of Federatie Financieel Planners.

At the end of 2014, there were 132 CFP professionals in the Netherlands. As part of its merger with FPSB Nederland, SCFFP will replace its existing FFP certification with the CFP certification program, and will work to migrate more than 3,500 existing FFP professionals to CFP certification.
Noel Maye, chief executive officer of FPSB, said: “FPSB Nederland’s merger with FFP will greatly strengthen the resources and reach of the Certified Financial Planner certification in The Netherlands, and connects FFP members to the global community of almost 160,000 CFP professionals in 26 territories worldwide.
“FFP, with its focus on Financial Planning standards and commitment to growing the profession, is a natural partner for FPSB. Combining the talents, resources and focus of FPSB Nederland and FFP, and connecting them to FPSB’s global efforts to promote Financial Planning professionalism, will greatly benefit Financial Planning stakeholders in The Netherlands.”
Marc Van Poeteren, FFP chairman, said: “FFP is pleased to join the global Financial Planning community represented by FPSB in 26 territories around the world.
“FFP is committed to building a Financial Planning profession in The Netherlands that is comprised of practitioners who are competent, ethical and put their clients’ interests first.”
FPSB Nederland and FFP expect to complete all aspects of the merger by the end of the year, at which point SCFFP will assume responsibility for the administration of the globally-recognised CFP certification program in The Netherlands.
Two FPSB Nederland board members, Angelo van Nies, CFP, and Wim Biemans, CFP, will serve on the SCFFP Board of Directors for two years to assist with the transition.
Mr Maye added: “We appreciate the FPSB Nederland team for pioneering CFP certification in The Netherlands, and for upholding FPSB’s global standards since 2009. The CFP certification program in The Netherlands remains in good hands, and we look forward to working with SCFFP.”