Frontline financial services professionals are being invited to register for a major new event, set to become a regular fixture of the conference calendar.

The inaugural Adviser Summit takes place on November 15 in the Midland Hotel, Manchester. It is organised by the Equity Release Council and supported by headline sponsor Aviva.

Registration is here www.equityreleasesummit.com/adviser-summit and is free for all consumer-facing financial services professionals, but spaces are limited.

The Adviser Summit includes a packed programme of plenaries and breakout sessions as well as a bustling exhibition space. Speakers include:

• The Financial Conduct Authority’s Mark Burns whose department has been leading the regulator’s work looking into the sector, including its recent later life mortgages review.
• The Financial Ombudsman Service’s Simon Pugh who will be sharing insights and learnings on how to improve customer outcomes.
• Bestselling author, broadcaster and two-time TED speaker Carl Honoré whose latest book Bolder: How To Age Better And Feel Better About Ageing was described as a spirited manifesto against ageism.

The London Institute of Banking and Finance is accrediting all sessions, which will be worth 5.5 hours of continuous professional development.

The adviser-focused event is set to become a regular fixture and will be held in different locations across the UK in future years.

Meanwhile, the Equity Release Summit will continue to be held in the heart of Westminster, London, taking a broader view of the entire equity release sector. The last one sold out, in May.

Jim Boyd, Equity Release Council CEO, said:

“The Adviser Summit is designed to connect equity release advisers and other financial services professionals, with all corners of the market.

“It is aimed at fostering networking opportunities and providing valuable learning experiences through thought-provoking plenaries and engaging breakout sessions.

“It presents an unrivalled opportunity for frontline advisers of all disciplines to gain valuable insights, sharpen skills and broaden their perspectives of equity release.

“Equity release can be transformative and should always be part of the conversation when it comes to later life financial planning.

“It should never be the default option, but at the same time, we want to make sure that equity release is never overlooked or discounted without proper consideration.”

Matt McGill, MD equity release at Aviva, said: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to be lead sponsor at this inaugural event.

“It’s an important addition to the Summit which was held earlier in the year, and reflects the growing role that equity release plays in wider retirement financial planning.

“I greatly look forward to meeting our adviser colleagues and participating in the many and varied events taking place.”

• Delegates will be required to pay a £25 deposit upon registration which will be refunded after they attend the event.