In a response to critics who have said that the CISI has not done enough since taking over the CFP designation in 2015, Mr Culhane said the CISI board was completely committed to the future of Financial Planning and would be doing its utmost to build a stronger profession.

Giving the closing address at the CISI 2019 Financial Planning Conference in Birmingham today Mr Culhane said new CISI developments with the CFP pathway and a new Chartered status would help to make the CISI a "one stop shop" for Financial Planners for the first time and demonstrated its commitment.

He said: "Now we have the Certified Financial Planner pathway we can at last offer a one stop shop."

He believed the new pathway would bring new people into Financial Planning and urged delegates: "I would encourage you to support more people to become CFP professionals through this pathway."

He also urged members to take part in the imminent vote to add a new Chartered Fellow (Financial Planning) designation to be adopted by the CISI as this would also open the door for chartered status for firms.

Mr Culhane said that at a time when some other professions were slowing down Financial Planning was showing strong growth.

The CISI Financial Planning Forum now has about 5,000 members and there are about 950 CFP professionals. 

The two day annual Financial Planning Conference took place at the Hilton Metropole Hotel at the NEC, Birmingham.

• Financial Planning Today has been reporting and Tweeting throughout the event. Check Financial Planning Today and our Twitter account and #FPConf19 for more.