SINGAPORE, 28 August 2025/Medianet/ --

In a powerful display of professional growth and regional collaboration, the Insurance and Financial Practitioners Association of Singapore (IFPAS), together with its international education partner Kaplan Professional Australia, proudly celebrated the graduation of a new wave of financial advisory professionals from two flagship programs – the High Net Worth (HNW) Certification and the Fellow Chartered Financial Practitioner (FChFP) Certification.

In the first cohort, nearly 60 individuals completed the FChFP Certification and have now achieved the FChFP designation awarded by the Asia Pacific Financial Services Association (APFinSA) and recognised by all of its nine member countries.

Additionally, close to 50 individuals completed the HNW Certification in its latest cohort and have now earned the title of Certified HNW Adviser. There are now almost 200 who hold this designation.

While the popularity of the HNW Certification has continued to grow from strength to the strength since its launch, the first cohort of professionals to complete the FChFP Certification marks a significant step forward in elevating the standard of financial advice in Singapore and across the region.

The FChFP Certification endorsed by APFinSA provides an accelerated pathway to Institute of Banking and Finance Singapore (IBF) Level 2 or Level 3 Certification and is designed to elevate financial advisory standards through realworld, client-centric learning that is international best practice.

The HNW Certification equips professionals with deep expertise in managing wealth for the high-net-worth segment. The programme has a particular emphasis on asset protection and wealth preservation and management strategies, family office and trust structures, market analysis, as well as behavioural finance and client engagement skills.

The success of these programs come at a pivotal time for financial services in Southeast Asia. Regulatory reform, digitisation, ESG mandates and rising client financial literacy are driving a shift from product sales to advice-based, professional service models. Regulators are tightening frameworks to align with global best practices, with growing emphasis on ethics, competency and structured training.

“Graduating with the FChFP Certification or HNW Certification is not the final milestone – it marks the start of a lifelong journey of growth,” said IFPAS President Mr Ng Eng Beow.

“Like medical professionals, we must constantly learn and prepare to serve with excellence.

Let us strive to be that steady light our clients can rely on when life feels uncertain.”
 
“There are many certifications and many qualifications in the market, but the FChFP Certification stands apart because it is the most modern, practice-based financial planning designation in Singapore and the region – all under the Kaplan global reputation and regionally endorsed by APFinSA and IFPAS,” said Kaplan Professional Australia CEO Mr Brian Knight.

“The HNW Certification is equally transformative – it empowers professionals with the advanced capability, global perspective and ethical lens needed to deliver deeper value to high-net-worth individuals … allowing them to engage more meaningfully, structure sophisticated strategies and build enduring relationships based on trust, insight and impact.

“These programs are shaping the future of financial services education across Asia-Pacific – and we are proud to be part of that journey.”

Graduate reflections

Ms Si Whee Ng a 23-year industry veteran from Prudential, shared how the HNW Certification transformed her approach to client engagement.
“I began applying what I learned almost immediately. The course helped me shift from discussing affordability to guiding clients on long-term sustainability – aligning business income, personal finances and protection needs into a structured plan.

“It was the ideal way to ‘recalibrate my business’ … the strategies, language and confidence to serve high-net-worth clients now and into the future,” she said.

Recent FChFP Certification graduate, Mr Nor Muhammad Alif from Great Eastern Life, also reflected on his experience in the programme.

“In our profession, clients are not just buying policies – they are placing their hopes, their fears, and their future’s security in our hands.

“That requires more than just product knowledge … it requires structured, values-based planning. That is what drew me to the FChFP Certification – the chance to elevate my advisory work with deeper understanding and credibility.

Those who wish to enrol in either programme this year and be a part of next year’s graduating class have one final opportunity to do so – the last intake starts 29 September for the FChFP Certification and 6 October for the HNW Certification.

ENDS

More information and interviews with Mr Ng Eng Beow and Mr Brian Knight are available on request. To arrange, please contact IFPAS or Kaplan Professional Australia’s media contacts: 

IFPAS
Katharyna Guru
M: +65 9725 7234
E: pr@ifpas.org.sg

Kaplan Professional Australia
Tom Baldwin
M: +61 407 029 666
E: tom.baldwin@kaplan.edu.au

About IFPAS

Since 1969, the Insurance and Financial Practitioners Association of Singapore (IFPAS) has been the leading professional association for financial advisers. IFPAS represents the interests of its members on legislative, regulatory and policy-related matters. IFPAS’ role is to advocate, innovate and inspire on behalf of its members to advance the financial advice profession’s social contribution and positively shape consumers’ perceptions of the financial services industry.

About Kaplan Professional Australia

Kaplan Professional Australia is a leading provider of financial services education. Delivering services to over 45,000 industry professionals each year, Kaplan Professional Australia is at the forefront of practical and relevant education in the country. Kaplan Professional Australia’s progressive and customer-focused approach has cemented our reputation as the trusted corporate partner to many major institutions in Australia and Asia-Pacific. For more information, please visit: www.kaplanprofessional.edu.au .

SOURCE: Kaplan Professional Australia

--BERNAMA