Financial Planning Awards

The team at Elliot Watson Financial Planning pride themselves at being at the top their profession and have been recognised on a national stage as being just that. When you become a client of Elliot Watson Financial Planning you can feel confident that you are receiving holistic financial advice from an expert team that puts your interests first.

The ifa Excellence Awards

Elliot Watson of Elliot Watson Financial Planning was awarded Holistic Adviser of the Year 2023 for these national awards.

The ifa Excellence Awards, renowned as the pinnacle of recognition within the financial services sector, have once again brought to light the leading businesses and individuals shaping the industry’s landscape. This year’s awards showcase an unparalleled commitment to excellence, professional development, and cutting-edge innovation.

The RI Advice Awards and Recognition program recognises excellence, leadership and performance

Elliot Watson Financial Planning was awarded a Platinum award which recognises that we are one of the top 15 practices across the nationwide RI Advice Group network.

Pictured below at the awards evening held in September 2023 in Auckland, NZ is (L-R) José Hernandez, Financial Planner, and Elliot Watson, Managing Partner of Elliot Watson Financial Planning with CEO of RI Advice Group, Peter Ornsby.

The RI Advice Awards and Recognition program recognises excellence, leadership and performance

Elliot Watson Financial Planning was awarded a Platinum award which recognises that we are one of the top 15 practices across the nationwide RI Advice Group network.

“Our whole team works tirelessly to help our clients achieve more with their finances. Achieving the prestigious platinum award is further evidence of the strength of our team and business,” said Managing Partner, Elliot Watson.

The RI Advice Awards and Recognition program recognises excellence, leadership and performance

Our marketing manager Cara Nightingale won ‘Support Staff Member of the Year’ in recognition of her contribution to marketing and business development.

“This is wonderful recognition of the contribution I make to our business. I strive each day to bring the benefits of financial advice to life and educate potential clients to the positive difference financial advice can make in their lives,” Cara said upon receiving her award.

The ifa showcases and acknowledges leading independent advisers through their annual Excellence Awards. 

Elliot Watson was named as a finalist in the Independent Financial Adviser (ifa) Excellence Awards for Practice Principal of the Year 2020. The award recognises the individual owner or managing director of a boutique, self-licensed financial planning firm who has built the most successful business showing business leadership, entrepreneurial flare, and exceptional client servicing.

Celebrating its seventh year, the ifa Excellence Awards, is the pinnacle event for the nation’s independent financial advice sector, recognising the outstanding success of Australia’s independent and non-aligned advice community, including advisers, licensees, support staff and practices.

Elliot Watson, Managing Partner at Elliot Watson Financial Planning, said that he was excited to be recognised and proud to nominated along with the industry’s best practices.

The AFA recognises advisers who are at the top of the profession through their annual Adviser and Practice of the Year Awards.

Elliot Watson has been named a finalist in the 2019 AFA Adviser of the Year Awards. In the history of the AFA awards Mr Watson is the first adviser to be a finalist two years in a row; an extraordinary feat on its own. The AFA recognises standout practices and advisers through their annual Adviser and Practice of the Year Awards. The accolade of Adviser of the Year is awarded to talented and visionary advisers, recognising qualities of leadership, innovation, customer centricity and commitment to professional excellence.

The extensive judging process, held over 5 months, involved written applications and telephone interviews, from which the top five finalists were selected. Followed by site visits, client surveys and compliance audits. From that round of judging the top three finalists were selected to participate in the finalist showcase which involved a 15-minute presentation and a 30-minute Q&A session including a case study.

“I feel humble and proud to use the title and advocate for the industry and clients,” said Mr Watson

The ifa showcases and acknowledges leading independent advisers through their annual Excellence Awards. 

Elliot Watson was named as a finalist in the Independent Financial Adviser (ifa) Excellence Awards for Holistic Adviser of the Year 2019.

Celebrating its sixth year, the ifa Excellence Awards, is the pinnacle event for the nation’s independent financial advice sector, recognising the outstanding success of Australia’s independent and non-aligned advice community, including advisers, licensees, support staff and practices.

Elliot Watson, Managing Partner at Elliot Watson Financial Planning, said that he was humbled to be recognised and proud to nominated along with the industry’s best for providing holistic financial advice.

“Elliot Watson Financial Planning’s recognition for its excellent contribution to the holistic financial planning industry reinforces the strength of what we have to offer clients and how we can positively impact their lives,” he added.

Entry into the awards required advisers to demonstrate how they provide independent holistic care, service and advice to their clients and the positive effect this had had on their lives.

Elliot Watson Financial Planning was awarded Practice for the Year 2018 (small business) at the RI Advice Annual Conference held in Tokyo.

The “Awards of Excellence” Reward and Recognition program at RI Advice Group follows a great tradition of recognising the best performers within the network. Practices are judge based on their performance against criteria such as application of Best Practice, future readiness, compliance scores, diversity of advice, culture and profit and revenue growth.

Receiving this award has been a source of great pride for the Elliot Watson Financial Planning team who work tirelessly to help their client ‘achieve more’. It is proof that Elliot Watson Financial Planning is a dynamic practice focused on delivering holistic, best practice advice to its clients, delivered by an energic and passionate team.

In 2017, Elliot Watson Financial Planning was recognised as the Risk Practice of the Year.

The AFA recognises advisers who sits at the very pinnacle of their profession through their annual Adviser and Practice of the Year Awards.

The accolade of Adviser of the Year is awarded to extraordinary and visionary advisers, recognising qualities of leadership, innovation, customer centricity and commitment to professional excellence. This year Elliot Watson, from Elliot Watson Financial Planning, was named as one of the three finalists for Adviser of the Year.

The judging process, held over five months, started with written applications, then telephone interviews from which the top five finalists were selected. The next step involved site visits, client surveys and compliance audits. From that round of judging the top three finalists where selected to participate in the finalist showcase which involved a 15-minute presentation and a 30-minute Q&A session including a case study.

The great results of the client survey gained Elliot Watson entry into the Trusted Adviser network.

Listen to Elliot on the AFA Awards Podcast

Congratulations to Elliot Watson Financial Planning on achieving a recent award for Risk Practice of the Year 2017.

The “Awards of Excellence” Reward and Recognition program at RI Advice Group follows a great tradition of recognising our best performers within the network. The top performing advice practices are collectively recognised as our Platinum Club. In 2017, Elliot Watson Financial Planning was recognised as the Risk Practice of the Year and was recently presented with this award at the RI Advice annual conference, Connect 2018, held in our nation’s capital, Canberra.

With his energetic team operating out of their office in Newcastle, Elliot manages a holistic financial advice firm, with a keen focus on risk and personal insurance advice. He and his team believe that with the appropriate level of personal protection, every Australian can have greater peace of mind that they can continue to live comfortably even when accidents or illness occurs – which is an unfortunate reality for all too many of us.

As a boutique financial planning business, Elliot Watson Financial Planning has a simple motto: “Achieve More.”

Elliot has built a team who love coming to work every day. They are passionate about what they do and pride themselves on continuing their education, learning and personal development so they can assist all their clients. They are proud of the work they do. The underlying values and passion are what has driven this young and dynamic business to achieve the RI Advice Platinum Club 2017 award of Risk Practice of the Year.

Elliot is a truly dynamic financial adviser who is self-driven, determined and a natural entrepreneur. We firmly believe he, and the team, will continue to grow under Elliot’s leadership and deliver quality, appropriate and sound financial advice to their growing client base.

Congratulations Elliot and the team, a fantastic achievement and well deserved.

Peter Ornsby
CEO of RI Advice Group

Elliot Watson did not get into financially advising to be given awards. But in helping a struggling woman through one of the toughest periods of her life, the 29-year-old was presented the 2013 Value and Advice Award for NSW last Thursday in Sydney.

The award from dealer group Charter Financial Planning is selected from a panel based on their valuable advice to clients in terms of creating change in their lives.

Mr Watson saved his client almost $70,000 in tax after she had developed post traumatic stress syndrome after 20 years in the NSW Police Force.

The East Maitland man said to be able to help his client was worth more than any award.

“Obviously it was very nice, but it’s not why you do it,” he said.

“She had been going through a tough time and basically after accumulating 20 years of having to deal with things she was unable to work and had trust issues and was having trouble getting on with her life.

“The NSW Police Force have an exiting program for people like her and I was able to give her the right advice when she needed it, which saved her up to $70,000 in tax, which was fantastic.

“Obviously saving that amount of money was great but to be able to help her through that time when she was very stressed and confused was the most important part.”

The former captain of Maitland Grossmann High School began working for Newcastle Financial Planning in 2006 before acquiring his license in July 2007.

Mr Watson’s client was thankful for his help.

“I can only offer praise and ­gratitude to Elliot,” she said.

“I was referred to him when my life was in turmoil.

“Elliot helped me make ­important decisions and has enabled me to get on with life with a secure outlook, both financially and personally.

“I cannot thank Elliot enough for everything he’s done for me, he went above and beyond the call of duty.”