The number of Certified Financial Planner professionals around the world at the end of 2019 was up 3.7% on a year earlier to a record 188,104.

The Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment says two new firms, including one run by Financial Planning Today columnist Nicola Watts, have become CISI Accredited Firms, an elite level of membership.

The CISI’s Paraplanning Conference is to move to London this year and will be free for the first time for CISI members.

For some people, their professional body is just a means to retaining the letters after their name or a Statement of Professional Standing. This is part of what our professional bodies do, but it’s not the only thing. They are far from just being certificate-generating exam providing organisations.