Former Newpark boss 'working to support advisers'

Former Newpark chief executive Melanie Purdey says she’s working to direct her passion for the adviser sector into helping its people through the Covid-19 disruption.

Tuesday, April 14th 2020, 10:09PM

Melanie Purdey

She has launched the Adviser Connect Co-Operative, which want to help advisers connect and find new ways to conduct business during the pandemic.

Purdey said it was a natural continuation of the work she had done to champion and encourage advisers and help New Zealanders to access their services.

“What I do hasn’t changed but how I do it can change,” she said.

The group is offering webinar resources and other tools to help advisers engage and stay connected with each other, she said. “Maybe even learn something, pick up some ideas for their business and how they might operate in the regulatory environment going forward.”

She said she had been “humbled” by the willingness of industry leaders to work with her to provide the service to advisers.

Providers and associations such as the Financial Services Council and Financial Advice New Zealand were working to make sure there was a plethora of opportunities for advisers in a wide range of areas, she said.

“I see my role now and going forward to be there to help advisers in whatever way I can.”

More advisers also needed to be encouraged into the industry, she said.

But she said it was a very challenging time for the industry.

“A lot of them are reconnecting with why they do this in the first place. Most have never been busier.”

She said while it was normally hard to get in front of clients, at the moment “everyone wants you”. But the work required was often not the sort that would generate revenue for an adviser business.

But she said financial advisers would be vital as New Zealanders worked to put their financial worlds back together.

Most advisers understood the work done now was an investment into future success, she said.

“Many have said it’s so good to help people feel less scared about what the future looks like. Even though it’s a really scary time. Everyone is doing it hard at the moment. It’s a bit of an equaliser. The ones who are in it for the right reason have found their raison d'être. This is our moment to flip the narrative and show what professionals we really are and what value we really provide for New Zealanders.”

Tags: financial advisers Melanie Purdey