The evening, organised by the council of the Insurance Institute of Aberdeen, part of the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII), featured an awards ceremony recognising professionals at various stages of their careers who attained professional qualifications between January 2023 and July 2024.

Each category honoured the top regional performer with trophies presented to Fiona Gibb, Gallagher (Certificate in Insurance), Claire Dent, Shetland Islands Council, (Diploma in Insurance), Emma Black, Johnston Carmichael, (Certificate in Financial Services), Wendy Morrison, Acumen Financial Planning, (Diploma in Financial Planning), Timothy Marple, Stewardship Wealth (Advanced Diploma in Financial Planning), and Vikki Venerus, AAB Wealth (Fellowship of the Personal Finance Society).

‘The Future of Financial Planning and Risk Management – Celebrating Excellence’ was sponsored by AAB Wealth and Acumen Financial Planning, while several companies hosted exhibition stands and participated in networking sessions to strengthen ties between member organisations and local schools, colleges and universities.

A special focus on creating pathways for emerging talent was evident throughout the evening, especially during an inspiring fireside discussion which highlighted different routes into each profession, encompassing school leavers, apprentices, and university graduates.

President of the Insurance Institute of Aberdeen, Katherine Harvey APFS, chaired the event. She said: “I can’t help but reflect on how much impact the young talent had in the room. The students were so inspired by the panel’s searingly articulate insights and their different journeys and routes to where they are now. I was so proud of them all, showcasing their passion and their commitment to increasing the visibility of our professions to other young people.

“It was also rewarding to see the achievers and award winners picking up their trophies and certificates. One of the striking things about the people and organisations represented in the room was the almost endless number of opportunities available for individuals to benefit from continuous development and career advancement – regardless of their age, experience or background.

“The advice I offered to the younger members of our audience, either looking to enter the financial planning and insurance professions or take the next step in their career, could equally be applied to people at later stages of their career: stay curious, put yourself forward, and get yourself under the skin of what it is you’re doing.”

The evening also marked the first public engagement in Scotland of the CII’s newly-appointed CEO, Matthew Hill. Delivering the keynote address before presenting the awards, Mr Hill paid tribute to those companies and individuals working throughout the north-east to make financial planning and risk management professions of choice.

He said: “The work the insurance and personal finance professions do is immensely important and exciting, and something to be immensely proud of.

“Society relies on many different professions in order to function. When you join a profession, you join a group of people in which the public is invited to place their trust. I believe we should all take that responsibility very seriously as we continue to foster and embrace our shared values, ethics, and sense of purpose.

“Public trust is the cumulative effect of the day-to-day actions of thousands of aspiring professionals, who each has a duty to help build people’s dreams. That trust is our north star to help us navigate the complex issues we face every day in our working lives, while underpinning financial resilience and business performance across the country.

“As an organisation, the CII will raise our game as a thought leader on behalf of our members and help to shape the national debate around financial services while continuing to build our membership offer and invest in bringing on new talent.

“I’m extremely optimistic about the future of our institute, thanks to the amazing professionals that we have seen and heard from this evening. We can be the best of the best and with your help, we can achieve that.”