Financial Advice New Zealand (FANZ) honoured a number of industry contributors during its 2025 Gala Dinner held in Christchurch, where advisers, business leaders, and stakeholders gathered for the annual National Adviser Conference.
The event coincided with a sector-wide review launched by the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) into how financial advice is delivered and accessed across the country.
Naomi Ballantyne, chair of The Adviser Platform (TAP), received the organisation’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
With more than 40 years in the life insurance industry, Ballantyne’s career includes founding two insurance firms and spearheading initiatives aimed at supporting advisers through technology-driven solutions.
At TAP, she has worked on embedding fintech systems to streamline compliance and administrative processes, with a goal of broadening the reach of professional advice.
The Community Impact Award was presented to Lifetime Group for its Dream Days program.
The initiative provides children living with serious health conditions or disabilities with specially curated experiences, facilitated by volunteers, businesses, and local supporters. It aims to strengthen community engagement and support outside of clinical or institutional settings.
Brenda Nom, of Brenda Nom Mortgages & Insurance, was awarded for her contributions to financial literacy.
Her firm developed an online course focused on first-home buyers, designed to help participants evaluate their financial readiness and establish savings plans using budgeting tools.
Nom’s team is planning to expand its outreach by collaborating with digital platforms and influencers to increase accessibility to financial education.
Steven Benton of Rede Advisers received Life Membership in recognition of his multi-decade career in financial services and his active role within FANZ and its predecessor bodies.
Benton has held CFP and CLU credentials for over 20 years and recently served as chair of the Certification Committee. His contributions include mentoring younger professionals and supporting industry standards through education.
Service Recognition Awards were also announced:
Nick Hakes, FANZ CEO, noted the importance of acknowledging individual contributions to the sector.
“Financial advice relies on the hard work, dedication, and determination of individuals who work to benefit us as a profession. The award recipients deserve our gratitude for going above and beyond to take advice in New Zealand to the next level,” he said.
During the same conference, FMA chief executive Samantha Barrass announced the launch of a nationwide review of financial advice delivery.
The initiative aims to identify how structural and operational factors may impact access to financial advice and will assess trends across business models, digital platforms, and regulatory processes.
