Mentor Education has appointed high-profile adviser and educationalist Jim Taggart as its Chairman.

Founder Mark Sinclair says it is the first time Mentor has appointed a chairman.

He says Dr Taggart’s “pedigree as a wonderful educationalist [and] highly successful financial adviser places him in an ideal position to assist us in strategically addressing the future needs of our clients. Having trained more than 15,000 advisers to date, we look forward to providing the best and most appropriate courses to suit our next 15,000 clients as they adapt to Australia’s changing financial advice landscape.”

Dr Taggart established the Taggart Group in 1987, building it into a major financial services advice business that later added general insurance.

It grew to service more than 5000 clients, and Dr Taggart won the Association of Financial Advisers’ financial adviser of the year award in 2005.

“With the new wave of financial services legislation aimed at raising the professional standards of financial advisers, I am delighted to be part of Mentor’s team providing the next generation of quality courses and degrees,” Dr Taggart said.

“Its considered position on the need for fully fledged 24-subject financial planning degrees vis-a-vis so-called ‘degree equivalents’ and ‘hybrid degrees’ is one I strongly support.”