FPSB owns the CFP mark outside the United States.

Groups from around the world attended the event in Zurich last week.

Shanks said it was clear that how to build public confidence and trust was a big issue for the financial planning sector internationally.

“No matter where you are globally, everyone has the same issue with that.”

She said it was disappointing but also reassuring to see that it was an issue for so many different jurisdictions.

They were also grappling with how to set standards and guidelines that their regulators could refer to, as opposed to regulators setting their own rules based on what they thought was best practice.

But she said the pace of change for the sector around the world was making it hard to keep up.

“No country has been able to get ahead of the pace of change, to be able to have significant influence before regulators start the process. The industry hasn’t been quick enough to get in front of it, globally. Everyone has the same issue.”

The event had been a chance to talk about how to pull ideas from around the world to build global best practice, she said. “As opposed to starting from scratch everywhere.”

A big problem for financial planners was that consumer confidence could be dented by factors outside their control, such as when markets changed and investors did not get the returns they thought they would.

Shanks said that could be helped by helping clients to understand the risks and how their portfolios were structured.

She said she was leaving the meeting feeling energised and excited, with new connections and networks to call on.

“I think we can be in a really positive space.”