Dawn Finalist in CFP® Professional of the Year

Dawn Thomas CFP®, Senior Wealth Adviser at The Wealth Designers, is a finalist for the 2026 Financial Advice Association Australia (FAAA) Certified Financial Planner® Professional of the Year. She is one of just three finalists nationally.

About the award

The CFP® Professional of the Year award recognises a practitioner whose advice has led to strong outcomes for clients, and who meets the highest professional standards. Entrants must hold active CFP® status, give face-to-face advice to clients and have a clear compliance record. The winner will be announced at the FAAA Awards Gala Dinner during FAAA Congress in Melbourne on Thursday 26 November.

Dawn has spent much of her career helping people feel more confident about money. She has spoken on 9News and ausbiz about raising financially capable kids and making the household budget go further, and she was profiled in The Inside Adviser. She was also previously shortlisted for the FS Power50.

The Wealth Designers’ perspective

This award is judged on client outcomes, which is how we measure our own work. 

At The Wealth Designers, we see money as a way to build a life well lived, now and in the future. Our advisers start by asking clients what they want their life to look like, then build the advice around the answer. We don’t sell products, we charge one flat fee and our approach is evidence-based.

Dawn’s nomination also continues a history of recognition at The Wealth Designers that we are extremely proud of: our CEO, Troy MacMillan, was named Adviser of the Year in 2011 by the Association of Financial Advisers (AFA), which has since become the FAAA. Principal Wealth Adviser Robin Sandover was also a finalist for FAAA’s Adviser of the Year in 2024. 

Why this matters

To earn the CFP® designation, a planner has to complete further study, meet ethical standards and keep up ongoing professional development.

For our clients, a nomination like this is independent recognition of the advice they receive. 

For anyone thinking about getting advice for the first time, it’s a useful reminder to ask about an adviser’s qualifications and how they measure success for their clients.

Congratulations, Dawn

We’re proud to see Dawn named among three of the country’s leading financial planners, and we’ll be in her corner in November. 

If you’d like to talk to one of our advisers about your own plans, get in touch with our team.