One of the world’s largest independent financial advisory organisations is to “significantly expand” its flagship graduate programme to help secure new talent and fill the impending financial adviser gap.

deVere Group’s founder and CEO, Nigel Green, has confirmed that at least 125 graduates will take part in the programme this year, up from 94 in 2017.

Mr Green comments: “Due to the ongoing success of the deVere Graduate Programme, which allows grad students to become qualified financial advisers often within two years, we will significantly expand it this year.  We are committed to taking on at least 125 graduates in 2018.

“We now have advisers who started on the grad programme in every one of our major offices around the world. From Hong Kong to New York, Sydney to Dubai, Cape Town to Geneva, and beyond, they are there achieving their personal objectives whilst professionally helping our clients fulfil their long-term financial goals.”

He continues: “With demand for sound, independent financial advice growing around the world, the baby boomer generation now in or heading into retirement, financial technology advances, and with many existing advisers exiting the industry due to the pressures of increasing regulation and /or retiring, there is a pressing need for the sector to step-up and to train and recruit the next generation of wealth management professionals to fill the impending ‘adviser gap.’

“At deVere we’re committed to using our resources to doing just that, and in a bigger way than ever before.”

Mr Green goes on to say: “Like the industry itself, the deVere Group Graduate Programme is known to be hard work and intense.  But it’s highly rewarding and it’s producing some great success stories – and we want to build on that even further.

“The Programme begins with a foundation period at the firm’s administrative hub in Malta and is followed by further training at one of the deVere Academies, which can be found in locations including Dubai, Malaga, Sydney and New York. The locations are purposefully chosen for their diverse and vibrant social and cultural scenes, meaning graduates can get the most from their experience.”

He adds: “We’re confident that we can attract the best grads to become the new industry leaders as deVere is heavily focused on new fintech solutions which we believe are the future of the industry, we provide invaluable hands-on experience with high-net-worth clients worldwide, one-to-one in-depth mentoring from already established and successful financial consultants, training from leading institutions, opportunities to work all over the world, as well as formal industry qualifications.”

Mr Green concludes: “By expanding our grad programme, we’re keeping pace with a growing sector and securing new talent to meet the evolving financial needs and wants of individuals.”