Vito Faircloth, who works for wealth management boutique Investment Quorum, clocked up the required 350 credits after 21 months of study culminating in passing the final three exams last week.
He had to get 290 credits through completion of the Advanced Diploma in Financial Planning plus 60 credits from any of the other exams offered within the CII financial services qualifications framework.
Faircloth did not go to university, and instead moved to London as a broker in 2014 following a brief stint working in the IT sector.
“I really wanted to combine my love of finance and my passion for speaking to and helping people. I tested the water as a broker and knew this was definitely what I wanted to do,” he said.
In 2015, he joined Cheltenham-based Chartered financial planning firm Attivo Group, where he qualified as a level four financial adviser in August 2015.
In August of this year, Faircloth joined Investment Quorum in London, where he now advises high net worth clients.
“I want to be the best adviser I can be because it’s such a privileged position to be in. Sat in front of someone as a 22-year old and in essence they’re putting their retirement in my hands – it doesn’t get much more privileged than that,” he said.
“One of my first goals is to become one of the best advisers in the UK and one of the most competent as well. The next step is going to be building those soft skills even more under the teaching of our CEO Lee Robertson, director Petronella West and chief investment officer Peter Lowman – they’ve got so much experience between them.”
Personal Finance Society chief executive Keith Richards said: “Vito’s achievement is truly remarkable and I congratulate him on becoming part of Personal Finance Society history by qualifying as its youngest ever Fellow.”
