Last year's winner benefits from experience
When Leo Leung entered last year's SCMP/IFPHK Financial Planner Awards, his prime objective was to go as far as he could. Crowned overall champion after three tough rounds of competition, he obviously did that. But along the way, he also gained more than a title, a trophy and kudos in the eyes of his fellow financial planning professionals.
When Leo Leung entered last year's SCMP/IFPHK Financial Planner Awards, his prime objective was to go as far as he could. Crowned overall champion after three tough rounds of competition, he obviously did that. But along the way, he also gained more than a title, a trophy and kudos in the eyes of his fellow financial planning professionals.
"Being an award winner has given clients extra confidence in the quality of advice and services I provide," says Leung, a branch manager for Manulife (International). "The competition is now seen as a benchmark for professionalism in the industry, and people definitely notice your success."
Leung acknowledges that winning was a great honour and notes that the experience of taking part gave him far more than expected. He was reminded of the importance of developing a comprehensive long-term financial plan for each client, he was obliged to improve his presentation skills, and he had to make sure he was up-to-date with the newest compliance regulations and less common investment options.
"During the competition, I had to look at key aspects of the case studies from different perspectives, specifically those of the clients and the judges," Leung says. "That has helped my ability to analyse and understand the different needs of individual clients, and those are valuable skills for my day-to-day financial planning work."
Since his win, Leung has continued along a clear career path, adding recruits to his team and training them to give clients the information and assistance to enjoy a secure financial future and achieve various lifetime goals.
"In addition, I have strongly encouraged my colleagues and other professionals to enter the competition," Leung says. "It is an excellent opportunity to test yourself against some of the best in the field, but you have to put in the time and effort to be well-prepared, especially for the Q&A sessions."
