The 2026 Professional Paraplanner Awards are underway. Opening the ceremony, our Editor – Natalie Dawes, reflects on a decade of recognising excellence in paraplanning and celebrates the tenth anniversary of the awards. With more than 250 people in attendance, Natalie also wanted those unable to join us today, to be part of the occasion by sharing her opening speech.
Our thanks to Standard Life who are the Headline Sponsor of the Professional Paraplanner Awards 2026.
Good afternoon, everyone and welcome to the 2026 Professional Paraplanner Awards.
I’m Natalie Dawes – Editor of Professional Paraplanner and I cannot tell you how delighted and proud I am to be hosting today – it’s such a privilege.
And even more so because today’s ceremony is extra special, a real milestone, as we celebrate the 10th year of these wonderful awards.
Ten years of recognising individuals, teams and providers that make an extraordinary difference within our profession.
Reflecting on Professional Paraplanner’s first ever awards, it started with just three awards in 2017, that were presented after the London Technical Insight Seminar.
Just look how far your awards have come!
We’re in this fantastic venue of Merchant Taylor’s Hall, over 250 people, very good food (always important!) and fittingly for our tenth year, it’s been the most entered set of awards ever.
If we think about where our profession was ten years ago, a lot has changed.
Regulation has evolved. My much-loved R01 study guide has had a few refreshes along the way…!!!
Client expectations have shifted. The introduction of Consumer Duty has placed a clearer focus on delivering good outcomes, raising the bar for transparency, simplicity, value and ongoing client support.
We are looking deeper, asking better questions and collaborating more to ensure those outcomes are genuinely right for each client.
Technology has moved at a pace few of us could have predicted, AI has become one of the biggest conversations across our profession.
But through all that change, one thing has remained constant:
The need for great paraplanners.
In fact, I’d argue that need has never been greater.
Technology is transforming the way we work, and it absolutely should.
But it doesn’t and won’t replace the judgement, curiosity, critical thinking or care that sit at the very heart of great paraplanning.
If anything, it puts an even brighter spotlight on the value that skilled paraplanners bring.
At one of our newly launched Future Adviser Seminars this year, one of our speakers – Paul Taylor – reminded us that in this fast-moving world, focusing on daily goals can help create more small wins and more opportunities to learn too, from the occasional ‘stuff-up’ – a message that has stayed with me.
So, allow me to indulge in looking at the last 177 days, the number of days that have whizzed by since I joined Team PP.
There have been plenty of small wins and of course some learns too.
I’d also like to note that I am just 4 days away from my probation period ending and I am naturally mindful of not stuffing anything up today…!!!
Anyway…177 days in, with every conversation had and every event held so far (we still have many to go – hit me up for the registration link…!!!) one thing has been reinforced very clearly – that this is one of the very best communities in financial services.
To add to that, nowhere has this been more evident than in this year’s awards process.
The technical expertise within this community is nothing other than exceptional.
But what stood out even more was:
- the commitment to clients;
- the support shown to colleagues;
- and the determination to keep moving the profession forward.
That is what this afternoon celebrates, and it’s made all the more special with this being our tenth year of doing so.
Before we begin recognising our finalists and winners, I’d like to say a few thankyous.
Firstly, to the Professional Paraplanner team. There’s an enormous amount of work that happens behind the scenes throughout the year.
Without Richard, Rob, Louisa and Amelia – we just wouldn’t be able to do what we do.
I’d also like to recognise Research in Finance.
Some of you may not know that Research in Finance is what powers Professional Paraplanner.
Our RiF colleagues are an incredibly hardworking team doing brilliant things for this profession and I hope many of you will get to know them, just as I have been doing.
My next thank you goes to our awards judging panel. Thank you for giving your time, expertise and careful consideration to what was an exceptionally strong field of entries.
Thank you to our entertainment this afternoon and no, I don’t mean me attempting to keep perfectly to time – I mean Martin and his brilliant All-Star band.
Martin actually wrote the song ‘Sven, Sven, Sven’ so if that suddenly makes its way into the setlist later, we can just treat it as a subtle reminder that the 2026 World Cup is in full swing and that England surely is coming home – C’MON ENGLAND!!!
To our sponsors, in particular to Standard Life our Headline Sponsor – it has been a pleasure to work closely with you these last few weeks – thank you for supporting paraplanning so brilliantly.
To Quilter, a huge thank you for yet again sponsoring our post-awards drinks reception, it is so appreciated.
And lastly to our associate sponsors, thank you all.
Your continued support enables us to deliver the publication, our events, webinars and, of course, afternoons like this one, that bring this wonderful community together.
Professional Paraplanner has never just been about publishing articles or hosting events.
It’s about creating a space that paraplanners can learn from one another, share ideas, celebrate success and feel part of something bigger.
I’d like to leave you with one thought.
If my first 177 days have highlighted anything, it’s that the future of paraplanning is incredibly exciting.
Yes, our profession will continue to evolve.
Yes, technology will continue to advance.
And yes, the conversations we have will continue to change.
But looking around this room and beyond, I am confident, that the future is in very safe hands.
Thank you for everything you do and here’s to the next ten years of celebrating the very best of paraplanning.
Main image: gold, background, lucas-k-94qPvR72FWk-unsplash
