Welcome to another jam-packed edition of Blue Chip – a publication that continues to reflect the depth, professionalism and thought leadership of South Africa’s financial planning community.
First and foremost: thank you.
Thank you for your continued support of the FPI throughout 2025. It was a demanding year for the profession, marked by regulatory change, heightened consumer expectations and an increasingly complex operating environment. Yet, together, we achieved meaningful progress.
2025 was a year of strong momentum for the profession, with several notable milestones for the FPI:
- Membership retention of approximately 96%, a powerful vote of confidence in professional financial planning and in the FPI.
- The successful launch and delivery of the Capstone exams – a significant step in strengthening the certification pathway.
- The establishment of the FPI Education and Training Trust.
- Our first FPI Women in Financial Planning event.
- Continued growth in FPI Approved Professional Practices.
- A highly successful FPI Convention themed “Bring it Home”, culminating in a memorable gala dinner and the celebration of excellence across the profession.
- The FPI was awarded the Top Women Business in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 2025: Highly Commended in the Standard Bank Top Women Awards.
- Ongoing advocacy of regulations, scheme rules and other regulatory developments.
- And a proud global moment: receiving the FPSB Noel Maye Award in Chicago for outstanding contribution to the profession.
These achievements represent only part of the picture. A comprehensive reflection on the year will be shared in the 2025 Integrated Report, to be released in July 2026.
Looking ahead: Vision 2030
In 2025, the FPI Board approved our Vision 2030 strategy, setting a clear direction for the next chapter of the profession.
Our Vision is clear: Empowering people to build better futures through trusted professional financial planning.
Our Mission is to foster prosperity by enabling growth for people who are building better futures through:
- Growing and retaining a diverse community of professional members.
- Building strategic partnerships.
- Driving innovation in standards, education and member services.
- Upholding and evolving global and local professional standards.
- Advocating for the public good.
Vision 2030 is about strengthening standards, embracing innovation and expanding the positive impact of professional financial planning in South Africa. It is a strategy grounded in purpose and delivered through partnership. We look forward to walking this journey with you.
Finally, my sincere thanks to the team at Blue Chip journal for their continued support of the financial planning profession and the work of the FPI. Through high-quality journalism, thoughtful commentary and a clear commitment to professionalism, Blue Chip plays an important role in informing, connecting and elevating financial advisors across South Africa. We value the platform you provide to share insight, challenge thinking and contribute meaningfully to the ongoing professionalisation of financial planning.
As we begin 2026, please know this: what we have achieved – and what lies ahead – is only possible because of you.
Here’s to building better futures, together.
Warm regards,
Lelané Bezuidenhout, CFP®, CEO, Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa
