Recruiters are expected to begin an international search today for a replacement for Jo-Anne Bloch, who has resigned as CEO of the Financial Planning Association (FPA).

FPA Chairman Julie Berry does not expect anyone to be in place by Easter when Ms Bloch leaves.

“When you consider that we recruited Jo-Anne from the UK I’d say the search is likely to go as wide as is necessary,” Ms Berry told insuranceNEWS.com.au.

Ms Bloch, who has been CEO since 2006, will take up a new role in May as Member Services and Advice Leader at international consulting, outsourcing and investments firm Mercer in Australia.

Ironically, she was recruited to replace Kerrie Kelly, who switched to the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) as CEO and recently took up a new post as Director-General of the Association of British Insurers. ICA last week appointed Suncorp executive Robert Whelan to replace Ms Kelly.

Ms Berry says anyone running the FPA will “need to be fairly strong, to be able to liaise with all the stakeholders, with all the politicians, with all the members as well as manage the business, so it’s quite a big role”.

A shortlist of candidates is expected in six to eight weeks.

With Ms Bloch at the helm the FPA has mounted a strong campaign for improved professional standards in the financial planning industry, which took a battering in the global financial crisis with high-profile collapses such as those of Storm Financial, Great Southern and Timbercorp.

Ms Bloch has presided over the FPA’s transition away from commission-based advice, a controversial move that resulted in a locking of horns with the Association of Financial Advisers.

She has worked for Mercer previously, as a principal with HR Services in the UK.