‘Nothing short of transformative’ – Craigs’ Adviser Academy turns out its first graduates

Craigs Investment Partners’ pioneering Adviser Academy turned out its first graduates this week – from a course its academic partner says has set the standard for capability development in the financial industry.

Chief Executive Simon Tong joined members of the Auckland Business School’s Executive and Professional Development (EPD) team, Craigs’ executive team, and the 42-strong cohort for the final symposium of the year-long course.

Craigs partnered with the EPD team to build a bespoke curriculum that leveraged the experience of Craigs’ senior advisers and the company’s extensive knowledge of delivering great client experience, built over its almost 40 years in business.  

Craigs’ head of advisory Tim Kiefte says the University of Auckland Business School’s prestigious ‘triple crown’ accreditation^*, and its decades of experience crafting and delivering adaptive programmes grounded in research and best practice, made it the ideal collaborative partner for the programme.

Through a series of symposiums and online masterclasses, participants honed the people-centric skills essential to Craigs’ relationship-led business approach. “At its core, the course is focused on what makes a great adviser,” says Kiefte.

“Participants build their skills in emotional intelligence, understanding people’s different needs, communication skills, and exceptional client care. Our team consistently returns outstanding client experience ratings through our annual client satisfaction survey. After almost 40 years in the business, we know what makes a great adviser and we are making sure our newest team members know, too.”

Kiefte says that while all 180 Craigs’ advisers are equipped with the financial knowledge and experience to deliver great outcomes for clients, the academy builds on the strong foundation they bring and acknowledges the benefits of continued learning for the individual and the clients they advise.

Craigs investment adviser and participant Kristina Price brought private banking and NZX firm experience when she joined Craigs almost two years ago. Not a newcomer to financial services by any means, Kristina saw the opportunity to build a network with fellow advisers and pool their experience and perspectives for the benefit of clients.

“What stood out for me was bringing all new advisers throughout the firm together, being able to share experiences and challenges. Having senior advisers share their advice on managing a successful business was really valuable, as were the sessions on tailoring communication to different personality types.

“The course has been extremely motivating and has provided some really good tools to benefit my clients. It has helped me stay focused on my development plan and how I can further improve my business through different approaches with clients,” says Price.  

Noah Ghebremichael, a senior manager in the EPD team, described the collaboration with Craigs to shape the curriculum as ‘nothing short of transformative’.

“This partnership brought together the academic excellence of the EPD team with the industry acumen of Craigs’ speakers and experts. What set this collaboration apart was a deliberate and meticulous approach to curriculum development. In a delightful partnership, the EPD team and Craigs conducted a thorough needs analysis, engaging extensively with the organisation’s stakeholders and drawing insights from expert investment Advisers.

“This process identified specific learning objectives and paved the way for a curriculum that seamlessly integrates best practices from academia with the practical wisdom of industry leaders. The result was a programme with a dynamic and hands-on learning experience that is finely tuned to the real-world challenges faced by investment Advisers,” says Ghebremichael.

University of Auckland Business School deputy dean, Andrew Patterson, was impressed with the cohort’s existing knowledge and experience.

“We’re proud of our collaborations with organisations both in Aotearoa New Zealand and more widely. On a personal note, I found working with the Craigs team to be a real delight. They are an organisation with a genuine desire to foster strong relationships with their clients – an approach that resonates with me. We co-created workshops, both in advance of and during the session. The Craigs team are smart and very quick learners, which enabled me to take the conversation down paths normally reserved for later in a programme. It’s fair to say that I gained a lot of insights from them, too,” says Patterson.

EPD director, Dr Rachel Wright, said the innovative curriculum reflects the Business School’s and Craigs’ commitment to excellence and set a standard for capability development in the financial industry. Dr Wright described sessions led by Craigs’ senior adviser as ‘dynamic and lively’.

“Craigs’ speakers brought a wealth of practical knowledge and passion to the programme, and also embodied the ethos of high-quality service delivery ingrained in the Craigs’ way of partnering, leading and serving their clients. The interaction between speakers and participants showcased a genuine commitment to delivering excellence for Craigs’ clients,” she said.

Kiefte says Craigs is committed to continuing the programme in 2024 and is looking to add new focuses that mirror the issues that matter to clients including intergenerational wealth transfers and ESG integrated investing.

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*The University of Auckland Business School has received accreditation from the Association of MBAs (AMBA), Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB) and EFMD-EQUIS – a recognition held by only a select group of elite Business Schools globally.