In financial services, many firms are focused on providing bottom-line value to their clients. What most of them forget is how to properly communicate that value.
A good PR strategy has a greater impact on the bottom line than most firms realise. This book shows how to put in place an effective PR program in the financial services industry, and how great communications can add significant value to a firm.
Between them, Claudia Pritchitt and Leeanne Bland have over 50 years’ experience in public relations, communications, and marketing. Here, they explain the key tools needed in an effective communications strategy as well as why plain English is imperative in the jargon-heavy world of financial services.
The week saw a positive gain of five advisers, driven by 14 new entrants that appeared on the ASIC Financial Adviser Register following the Financial Adviser Exam results being released late last week (see more below).
Four new licenses commenced, albeit two recommencing. Two licensees ceased.
It was a busy week of change with a total of 103 advisers affected by appointments or resignations.
Key adviser movements for this period
Net change of advisers +5
Current number of advisers 15,432
Net change calendar 2025 YTD (-41)
Net change 2025 YTD of +127 when excluding licensees that provide mostly limited SMSF advice
Net change financial YTD (2025/26) +260
Net change financial YTD +290 when excluding licensees that provide mostly limited SMSF advice
45 licensee owners had net gains of 55 advisers
30 licensee owners had net losses for (-46) advisers
4 new licensees (2 recommenced), and 2 ceased
14 new entrants
103 advisers affected by appointments / resignations
Growth – licensee owners
Bentleys Financial Services (NSW) up by three, all three advisers are currently also authorised as First Financial Pty Ltd owned by Janus Financial Pty Ltd
Eight licensee owners up by net two which included two new licensees:
Stonehouse Partners with both advisers switching from Hillross, owned by Entireti & Akumin Group
Solomons Wealth, both advisers being new entrants
Pitcher Partners, both advisers being new entrants
Gary Hasler, both advisers being new entrants
Banister Consulting (Sira Group), both switching from Banyan Securities
Australian Financial Planning Group, both switching from Century Advisory Services
New licensee with advisers leaving Interprac owned by Sequoia
New licensee – This licensee recommenced after ceasing in 2022 and the same advisers have returned.
A long tail of 36 licensee owners up by net one each including Morgans Group, Evans Dixonand the two remaining new licensees.
Losses – licensee owners
NTAA (SMSF Advisers Network) down by seven, none appointed elsewhere
Three licensee owners down by three:
Century Advisory Services down by three and down to zero advisers. Two advisers moving to Australian Financial Planning Group (noted above) and the other is yet to be appointed elsewhere
Count Limited down by three, losing five advisers, three at Count Financial and one each at Paragem and GPS Wealth. Appointing one adviser each at Count Financial and GPS Wealth, both advisers coming back into advice after a break.
Entireti and Akumin Group also down by three, as mentioned above, losing two at Hillross to Stonehouse Partners, one adviser ceased at Akumin who has not been appointed elsewhere
Four licensee owners down by two:
Maura McCabe (Banyan Securities), both joining Bannister Consulting (Sira Group),
Rawlings Bolton (Bentleys (QLD) Advisory Pty), both advisers not appointed elsewhere
Sequoia Group, as mentioned above, both advisers commencing their own licensee
WT Financial Group, one switching to Beryllium Advisers and the other is is yet to be appointed elsewhere.
A tail of 22 licensee owners down by net one each including Centrepoint Group, Lifespan and FMD Financial.
Financial adviser exam analysis - November 2025 plus year on year
ASIC recently released the results for the November sitting of the Financial Adviser Exam. The results are always a good indicator to the number of new entrants to the advice profession.
The November sitting had 308 candidates, the highest since 2022. That year’s figures were inflated because all existing advisers had to pass. Of the November candidates, 208 passed (67.5 per cent), slightly below the 69 per cent average since 2023.
Below are key details, including some a year‑on‑year comparison since 2023. In summary, the number of candidates and passes rose after 2023, but 2025 fell slightly short of 2024. With adviser numbers expected to drop from early 2026, new recruits will not fill the resulting adviser shortfall. However, there is still a large surplus of ‘potential’ advisers who have passed the exam but not practicing.
Key data points
For November, 208 candidates passed the exam, 56 more than the last exam sat in August. It was 17 fewer than November 2024 which had a high pass rate of 77 per cent
The total candidates for 2025 were 1,007, just below 1,053 set for 2024. Both well ahead of 2023 which was at 811
The number passing for 2025 is at 694, which is 49 fewer that 2024. Partially driven by a lower average pass rate of 69 per cent compared to 70 per cent in 2024. 2023 only had 545 passes with a pass rate of 67 per cent
For November, the number of candidates sitting the exam for a second or more time was 75. This number represents 24.4 per cent of all candidates and it has hovered between 23 per cent to 30 per cent since the start of 2023
A grand total of 20,754 candidates have passed the exam. As of November 30, there were 15,420 advisers listed as current on the ASIC Financial Adviser Register. The variance of 5,334, highlights a potential pool of advisers that could come back into advice.
While the potential pool looks large, and after January 2026 it will bigger, it may not have the potential it once had. From January 1, 2026, all advisers will need both the financial adviser exam and meet the qualification requirements (or experienced pathway) that come into effect from January1.
