Sesame gears up for third annual Symposium

Sesame has finalised the line-up of leading industry speakers ahead of its third national conference, which will take place in Manchester on 1 December 2009 at the iconic Hilton Deansgate Hotel.
 Over 500 delegates are again expected at Sesame Symposium, which will give financial advisers the opportunity to hear what leading industry commentators have to say about the future of the financial services industry; helping advisers to decide how their own businesses should respond to the key challenges facing the advice profession.
 Keynote speakers at the event include Ivan Martin, Sesame Bankhall Group executive chairman, and AIFA director general Chris Cummings. An exciting new format will also see a lively ‘question time’ style debate, where advisers will be able to pose questions to a panel that includes 7IM chief executive officer Tom Sheridan, the Rt. Hon. John Redwood MP, chairman of Evercore Pan Asset and James Kaberry, executive chairman at Pantheon Financial Limited. 
Panel debates featuring some of the industry’s leading experts will also take place covering the Retail Distribution Review (RDR), wealth management, protection and investment markets.
In addition there will be a motivational speech from Sarah Storey OBE, Paralympic gold medallist in both swimming and cycling, along with a session from Jamil Qureshi, sports psychologist for the European Ryder Cup team who won the championship by a record breaking margin. Evening entertainment will be provided by award winning comedian and television presenter Dara O’Briain.
 Stephen Young, chief operating officer at Sesame Bankhall Group, says: “Sesame Symposium has become renowned for providing expert insight and stimulating debate, and this year’s event will be no exception. With the advent of the RDR advisers now face further challenges in the years ahead. This includes remodelling their business – with many advisers introducing the concept of fee charging to their clients for the very first time – through to the hours of study required to attain further qualifications to reach the new higher qualification standards. In light of this, what better platform to deliver our continued message of development and support than Sesame Symposium.”