Our Success

Our Success

We became the very first Welsh firm to be approved by the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI) as an Accredited Financial Planning Firm. The CISI awards this title only to firms which it has assessed as demonstrating the highest professional standards of Financial Planning service and advice to its clients.

To successfully meet the criteria for approval, here at Penguin we have have to demonstrate that we provide a comprehensive Financial Planning service to YOU – our valued clients.

We also have to demonstrate commitment to the CISI’s Code of Ethics and Practice Standards, as well as being tested on Financial Planning Skills at an Advanced Level.

Very few Financial Planning firms in the UK can meet these exacting standards and we are pleased to confirm we still hold this standard today.

Penguin has also been shortlisted, placed as finalists and won numerous awards over the years. These nominations and Award wins signify that we demonstrate the highest professional standards when it comes to service and advice. They show that our clients are at the heart of our business and that we ensure our team acquire and retain the necessary knowledge and skills to deliver the highest quality advice.

2026 (So Far)
We’re proud to share that we’ve already received the Solidus Platinum Award for 2026 – a testament to our continued commitment to effective Estate Planning, and to helping clients protect and pass on wealth across generations.

2025
In 2025, Penguin was proud to receive recognition across a wide range of national and regional awards – celebrating not just the work we do, but the way we do it.

After being nominated and shortlisted in late 2024, Tom was named runner-up for the Novus Impact Award in January 2025.

At the Cardiff Life Awards, we were named Finalists in three categories – Finance, Employer, and the one-off Legends category – and were thrilled to bring home the Employer Award. This honour reflected our deep commitment to team development, wellbeing and a workplace culture where people can truly thrive.

We were also shortlisted for the Financial Adviser of the Year category at the Entre Conf Awards, and named Finalists in three categories at the inaugural Empowering Excellence Conference 2025:

• Business Excellence Award – recognising high standards in operational delivery

• The Trailblazer Award for Innovation in Operations – celebrating Lisa Rendell’s outstanding leadership in driving positive change

• The Outstanding Business & Operations Manager Award – won by our very own Rhianydd Summerhayes, whose professionalism, passion and impact were recognised by the judging panel

We were also honoured to receive the Solidus Platinum Award – in recognition of our commitment to delivering effective Estate Planning solutions to clients, providing control and protection of inter-generational wealth transfers.

And to top off a fantastic year, we were named in both the FT Adviser Top 100 Financial Advisers list and the Citywire New Model Adviser Top 100 – two of the most respected rankings in the profession.

2024
In 2024 we were fortunate enough to win Estate Planner of the Year at the Solidus Awards again and were named a Finalist in the Financial Business Award category at the Cardiff Life Awards. Three of our Financial Planners were also recognised for their individual contributions to the business and the profession.

• Oliver Pughe was rated a Top Adviser by VouchedFor and featured in The Times.

• Tom Davies was nominated and shortlisted for the Novus Impact Award.

• Craig Palfrey was nominated and shortlisted for the Professional Excellence Award with the CII.

These accolades reflect our commitment to providing a personal and high-quality service, with a team that consistently strives to do the right thing for our clients and for the profession.

2023
2023 was an incredible year for us. We won the Financial Business Award at the Cardiff Life Awards, took home Estate Planner of the Year at the Solidus Awards, and were named a Top 100 Business by both New Model Adviser and Zokit.

We also became part of a distinguished group – the CISI Chartered Fellow (Financial Planning) Group – a recognition of rigorous ethics, experience, competence, and commitment to high professional standards.

2022
In 2022, Penguin was once again named a Top 100 Business by New Model Adviser, Money Marketing and Zokit. We were also presented with the Zokit Award for Excellent Customer Service.

We were shortlisted for the Financial Services Finance Team of the Year at the Finance Awards Wales, and were finalists in the Legal and Finance Category at the Cardiff Life Awards.

We continued to be recognised by VouchedFor as a Top Rated Firm in Cardiff, with Oliver Pughe once again featured in The Times as a Top Rated Adviser.

2021
We were shortlisted for five awards and won three in 2021.

We won:

• Estate Planner of the Year at the Solidus Awards

• IFA/Wealth Manager of the Year at the Finance Awards Wales

• Finance Team of the Year at the Finance Awards Wales

We were also shortlisted for Director of the Year at the IOD Wales Awards and were finalists again in the Legal and Finance Category at the Cardiff Life Awards.

2020
In 2020, we received the Business Service Excellence Award at the Business Growth Awards Wales.

We were also finalists for both the Business Evolution and Innovation categories at the Zokit Awards.

Rhianydd Summerhayes was recognised as a Finalist in the Unsung Hero category at the New Talent Awards by Professional Adviser.

2019
2019 was a year of national recognition. Penguin won Estate Planner of the Year at the SOLLA Conference and was named one of the Top 100 UK Advisers in The Financial Times.

We also picked up the Visionary Leadership Award at the Business Growth Wales Awards, and were finalists in the Great British Entrepreneur Awards.

Craig Palfrey was shortlisted for Director of the Year at the IOD Wales Awards.

2018
Penguin was awarded both the Customer Focus Award at the Zokit Awards and the Visionary Leadership Award at the Business Growth Awards – recognising our service approach and leadership values.

2016
In 2016, Penguin was proud to win our first national award – Adviser Firm of the Year at the MoneyAge Financial Adviser Awards.

We were also named Adviser Firm of the Year in Wales at the Citywire New Model Adviser Awards and included in the Top 100 IFA Firms list by New Model Adviser.

2014
One of our first industry recognitions came in 2014, when we were named Wales Financial Planning Firm of the Year at the Professional Adviser Awards.