A Great Example for Advisers to Follow

For financial advisers in a post Royal Commission world, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by much of the instability and negative coverage the industry faces on a regular basis. We thought we could share a positive story, that has stability as one of its defining features and to show an example of what can be achieved by an individual with hard work, commitment and dedication over a long period of time. Bill Bracey is an adviser who has exhibited these traits in the service of his clients as well as stepping up in the general community. His efforts were recently recognised with the Gerald Lippman award and his is a story that many advisers would do well to emulate.

Bill Bracey was recognised for his outstanding contribution to the financial advice industry and the wider community when he was awarded the prestigious Gerald Lippmann Perpetual Trophy last month.

The award considers the contribution the adviser has made to the financial planning profession, their involvement within their community, the support they offer their colleagues, and the quality of their practice, and quality of advice over time. 

Bill was acknowledged for his service to financial planning over many years. Highly respected by his peers, he is the chair of the NSW Authorised Advisor Association and has sat on its board for 12 of the last 15 years. He has been a leader at Charter Financial Planning since its inception and his willingness to share business insights from his long career with his peers via various forums is unparalleled. Bill has also spent plenty of time promoting financial advice and the industry as a whole at events and in the media, both tv and print.

Outside the planning industry, Bill has been a tireless contributor and fundraiser for the Sir David Martin Foundation, which helps young people aged 15-24 in crisis turn their lives around. On speaking to Bill (who himself has 3 young adult children), his recognition that not all young people have enjoyed the stability and opportunity his own kids did was apparent. His involvement with the foundation, which has a fantastic rehabilitation record was an unabashed source of pride.

However, the greatest source of gratification, and the thing that keeps getting Bill up in the morning is being able to make a beneficial difference in his client’s lives. Bill joined the industry in the late 80’s, over 30 years ago and his business, Sydney Financial Planning celebrated it 30^thanniversary last year.

In that time, he has helped some people navigate the majority of their financial lives. The key to these successful relationships is trust, something Bill acknowledges takes a long time to build. “What is fantastic for me is being able to see the fundamental difference you can make in people’s lives over a 20-year period…and continuing to help people because as they get older, they can need even more care”.

The high esteem in which Bill is held by his client base, one of the key components for receiving his award, is evident on his Adviser Ratings profile where he holds Platinum status and has 138 client reviews with the phenomenal average client rating of 4.96 out of 5 Stars.

Bill has been a great supporter of Adviser Ratings over the years and was one of the first advisers to claim his profile when we first launched. We’d like to offer our congratulations to Bill on receiving this latest award. His achievements and conduct are a great example to all in the industry, but especially young advisers, of what the best of financial planning can accomplish.

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