The Personal Finance Society (PFS) recently held its fourth quarter 2011 Regional Conference at the Claremont Hotel in Douglas.

The PFS is the professional body for the financial planning profession in the United Kingdom and is part of the larger Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) family.

The society recently made the Isle of Man its 27th region, with 126 local members.

The event was hosted in association with Capital International and Octopus Investment Ltd, and opened by managing director of Thornton Associates Sharon Sutton, who is currently chair of the local region.

Other speakers at the event were John Dashfield of Dashfield Coaching and Development who talked about the importance of being motivated and inspired in business, Christopher Bell of Capital International, who discussed the new age of financial austerity, and Lothar Mentel of Octopus Investment Ltd, who gave a fascinating perspective on investment markets and the Eurozone.