Vulnerability Matters: A Joint Perspective

The PFS North Scotland, CII Perth & Dundee and CISI Scotland are pleased to come together in close collaboration to bring members from all across Scotland together at this first-of-its-kind event on the vital subject of supporting clients in vulnerable circumstances.

Members will be able to hear from a variety of guest speakers from across the Financial Planning, Wealth Management and Insurance sectors who will look at what the characteristics of vulnerability might look like and how we can provide people with better support and deliver better outcomes.

To book your place, please click here

Learning Objectives

• Apply the FCA’s four pillars of vulnerability in practice (health, life events, resilience and capability), understanding how these drivers interact and shift over time rather than operating in isolation.
• Explain vulnerability as both individual and systemic, recognising how products, processes, communications and market structures can create or exacerbate vulnerability, even where firms act with good intent.
• Identify vulnerability across the client journey, including hidden and emerging vulnerability, and distinguish between transient, enduring and situational risks to good client outcomes.
• Exercise professional judgement when supporting vulnerable clients, taking proportionate action that balances empathy, regulatory expectations and commercial reality without defaulting to rigid or performative processes.
• Translate insight into practical change, identifying realistic actions within firms to improve culture, consistency and client experience in relation to vulnerability support.

Speakers

Sam Harvey, PFS Paraplanning Panel / Christie Financial Planning

Sam first started in financial services in 2012, working for an insurer, before changing the path to pensions and then into IFA firms in 2019. She has been a paraplanner since 2021, and since then she has also worked as a financial planner, however she found her home in paraplanning! She currently holds PFE(PIP), DipPFS, CertPFS (Securities) and Cert CII (FS) along with Long Term Care Planning and she is well on her way to becoming a Chartered Financial Planner. In addition, she has qualifications in understanding autism and mental health first aid, and is a member of PFS Paraplanning Panel.

Sam is passionate about her job, particularly training and mentoring others to be the best they can in their role and is a huge advocate of looking after your mental health and supporting neurodiversity and disability accessibility in the workplace, being both neurodiverse and having a physical disability herself. She lives in central Scotland, and she is an avid reader owning over 1,000 books, as well as a huge Formula 1 fan!

Michaela Pashley, Practical Financial Exams / Roseum Financial Planning

Michaela is a trainer and financial adviser. In 2020, she founded PFE, which provides the only formal soft skills qualification in UK financial services, and a Netflix-style streaming service for original, structured CPD. In 2023, she founded Roseum Financial Planning, a financial advice business which is part of the Quilter Network. She also works with the team at Pilot Financial Systems as Head of Regulatory Compliance for their revolutionary new back-office software.

Vanessa Riboloni, CII 

Vanessa Riboloni is Head of Research and Insight at the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII), where she leads research and thought leadership to help the profession understand the impact of emerging trends across insurance and financial planning. She works closely with sector partners, regulators and practitioners to explore how professional standards can improve customer outcomes. In 2025 she led the publication of the CII guide on the correct treatment of vulnerable customers, providing practical guidance to support firms.

Phil Turner, CII

Part of the CII Corporate Development Team as Corporate Development Manager, Phil has written articles and presented on Helping Customers Navigate Loss and contributed to CII Managing Customer Vulnerability Guide.

Phil managed team of BDM’s looking after over 3,000 Post Offices across Northern England and Southern Scotland, managed global projects with Travelex and a global team as Vice President of Global Channel Sales with Lyca mobile.  He is also an 80-s podcast host and a regular guest host on the radio.

Alan Whittle, Unburdened Limited

With 20 years experience in financial services, Alan is committed to seeing financial planning develop as a trusted profession.  After working as both a Paraplanner and Compliance and Money Laundering Reporting Officer, Alan set up Unburdened Limited in 2019 to spread knowledge, ideas and know-how that changes financial planning for the better.

Alan is a Chartered Financial Planner and Fellow of the Personal Finance Society. A firm believer in the value professional bodies working together, Alan is also a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment and a member of both the Chartered Banker Institute and CFA UK.  Alan has previously served as the President, Education Secretary and Careers Officer of the Aberdeen Institute of Insurance and Financial Planning and as a CII National Forum Officer for Scotland.  He is currently the Chair of the PFS North Scotland Region, a member of the PFS Sustainability Panel and sits on the Board of the PFS as a Member Director.

Your Hosts
Tony Whincup, Trinity Bridge

Ruth Glynn, Insurance Institute of Perth & Dundee

Colin Anderson, Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment

Alan Whittle, Personal Finance Society North Scotland