Mix asked an FPI spokesperson to give the company’s feedback
Q. Why was Bali chosen as the location?
A. As an Asian-based firm, proximity was a factor. Additionally, Bali is an attractive, inspiring destination for work and play. The service on the island is exceptional and when a company has up to 100 staff and associates attending a multitude of meetings, seminars and activities, it is very important to have top service at all of the chosen venues.
Q. What was the aim of this conference?
A. This was an annual conference with several aims and facets, one being an opportunity for FPI to recognise those that significantly [out]-performed; two was to bring our nine global teams together prior to the roll out of FP Law (legal services) and before the official launch of FP Bank.
We also offered staff six seminars hosted by business partners and industry experts, such as leading fund managers. The seminars served as both a training platform as well as an opportunity for teams to interact and engage in strategic discussions and planning sessions.
Q. How did the series of events in Bali fit the FPI brand? How was the format tailored to your needs?
A. The FPI brand is based on our vision of being “a client-driven financial planning and wealth management consultancy.” Based on this statement, the events in Bali were designed to recognise achievement and to reward excellence through VIP outings, and to foster teamwork through rafting and other outdoor activities. The sharing of knowledge and excellence at workshops was tailored to fit the brand; for example, motivational speaker and polar explorer Adrian Hayes spoke at a dinner sharing valuable lessons in personal achievement and team work after his recent, successful trek to the North Pole, which was sponsored by FPI.
Q. Who planned the event on the ground in Bali and from the FPI side?
A. FPI’s marketing and administrative team planned the event with help from a professional organiser on the ground in Bali. Flights and travel arrangements were made in-house by FPI with our Board Members’ assistants liaising with our marketing team while the organiser in Bali made the arrangements with the hotel.
Q. What was the travel schedule in terms of arrivals and departures?
A. It all depended on their work schedules, flight schedules, and whether they could tack on a bit of a holiday.
The Chairman’s Elite (FPI’s Top Achievers) were rewarded with helicopter transfers from the airport to the beach in front of the hotel following an aerial tour of the island and, later on, a Harley Davidson Road Trip with the Board of Directors. VIP treatment included fast tracking through immigration and greetings upon landing from Balinese dancers. Police escorts from the airport to the hotel also gave the entire group of delegates the sense of celebrity status.
Venue: Sofitel Seminyak, Bali
Client: Financial Partners International (FPI)
Event: Annual convention
Numbers: 100-plus
Date: June 2007
In spite of the tragedies of recent years, the island of Bali retains a magical, serene feel that ensures it will always bounce back from adversity.
While corporate event business slowed to a trickle after the terrorist attacks, confidence has been gradually returning to the island, facilitated by the many stringent safety and security measures taken by Indonesian authorities and major hotels across the island.
Financial Partners International (FPI) chose Bali as the location to host more than 100 delegates and sponsors from around the globe at its annual convention. The delegates included fund managers, directors and financial services experts.
The company was celebrating a record 57 percent increase in gross profits over 2005 and FPI took the occasion to unveil plans to transform the organisation from an independent financial advisory company into a major offshore banking operation.
A couple of months after the June event in Bali, the company relaunched as Financial Partners Bank (FP Bank).
FP Bank CEO, Jason Blick says that the new company will “deliver highly personalised, client-driven service to the emerging affluent market so often ignored by other banks”.
The Bali event was a key component of the bank’s strategy, aimed at informing key clients and partners about what the evolution from financial services company to full-service banking organisation would mean for FPI, and a way to reward clients for their part in FPI’s success.
Ensuring that the new FP Bank model was understood in the financial community was essential as the evolution will be based largely on new information technologies rather than traditional banking systems. FPI’s aim was to maximise efficiency, avoid the costly overhead paid by conventional banks, and provide a more competitive range of services.
“The bricks and mortar model necessary for counter service has become too expensive in the modern world, hence the proliferation of remote call centres, increased minimums for bank accounts, higher charges and a general move to a less personal service,” explains Blick.
The FPI Bali convention coordinated a series of seminars and events focused on the primary goal of recognising achievement and rewarding excellence through VIP outings. The sharing of information, knowledge and successes at workshops was?tailored to fit those attending.
The Chairman’s Elite (FPI’s Top Achievers) were rewarded with helicopter tours of the island and a Harley-Davidson Road Trip with the Board of Directors.
VIP treatment included fast tracking through immigration, normally a tedious experience in Indonesian airports, and police escorts from the airport to the hotel. All delegates were invited to join in team-building activities including white-water rafting and boating.
