The Association of Financial Advisers (AFA) is to run a conference for small licensees at the same time as its main conference in October.

AFA Conference Chair Troy Edmondson says small licensees are vital to the financial services industry and they need help in the current challenging times.

“The AFA is acutely aware the small licensees that make up the independent sector of the advice industry need an issues-driven forum to debate and discuss the issues they face,” he said.

“These are some of the reasons we decided to initiate a small licensee conference.”

The program, designed by advisers, will focus on meeting the current and future needs of advisers, practice principals and small dealer groups.

Speakers include Tomorrow CEO Mike Walsh talking about future developments of the web and the AFA’s legal and compliance consultant Christina Kalantzis on what fiduciary duty really means for advisers.

The inaugural Small Licensee Practice Principal Conference will run on the Gold Coast from October 24-26.