The Association of Financial Advisers (AFA) plans to triple its member numbers by 2013, according to AFA chief executive Richard Klipin.
He said the AFA had about 1500 members after experiencing almost 27 per cent growth in membership last year and that it planned to increase that figure to 5000 by 2013.
"The industry has taken a beating in recent years, particularly due to a number of company collapses, which is why we believe it is so important that industry professionals come together through recognised associations and have their voices heard," Klipin said.
He said the association's GenXt committee initiative has already helped attract more members to the association.
"Thanks to things such as our 2010 GenXt Kickstart Roadshow, which has visited Perth, Adelaide and Hobart and which will be in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane this week, we've had about 40 new members join in just a week and a half," Klipin told InvestorDaily.
The AFA introduced the GenXt initiative, which bridges the gap between current and next generation advisers, in late 2007.
The committee that oversees the initiative has now been restructured.
GenXt chairperson Brad Fox (Nixon Fox & Wills) will team up with newly-appointed national GenXt committee members Adam Smith (The Corporate Will Company) and Sarah Riegelhuth (WealthMap Financial Strategies).
Existing and new state GenXt committee chairs will include Paul Banner (Provenance Advice) for New South Wales; Ammie Comel (Synchron) for Victoria; Michael Nowak (Joe Nowak Financial Services Group) for Queensland; Dave Slovinec (Professional Choice Financial Services) for South Australia; Sarah Ryan and Sarah Wood (Blue Horizon Partners) for Western Australia; and Rob Schiliro (RJ Schiliro) and Colette Thunig (Axa) for Tasmania.
Nathan Morgan (IOOF) will also continue in the role of national coordinator for the AFA Secrets of Success (SOS) Mentoring Program, which partners newer and more experienced advisers through one-on-one relationships.
