Christopher Tan, CFP^®, ACTS

Awards

Asia Financial Planning Journal

2005
Awarded Financial Adviser Representative of the Year

Action Community for Entrepreneurs

2006
Nominee for the Spirit of Enterprise Award

Singapore Prestige Brand Award

2008
Awarded Most Promising Brand Award

Asia Pacific
Entrepreneurship Awards

2009
Awarded Most Promising Entrepreneur Award

Christopher always knew he wanted to be a wealth adviser, even when wealth advisers did not exist as an available career option in 1998. Hence, he started his financial career with an insurance company in Singapore, thinking that it would provide him with the relevant skills as a wealth adviser. Christopher picked up the ropes relatively quickly and was the second rookie agent of the year. By his third year, he was among the top 25 producers of that insurance company.

While he was earning good money, he was frustrated and unhappy because he knew that he wasn’t learning anything related to wealth management and that he was just selling insurance products. He couldn’t do anything but insurance.

In his own words, he said “It’s like I’m a contractor who can create a very nice home design for you, but I am only a carpenter, so the only thing I can recommend to you is carpentry work, because that’s all I make money from.”

The revelation made Christopher even more determined to pursue true wealth management and he left the company after 6 months when he realised that he could not do what he felt was right. A number of his former colleagues found out what he planned to do, and decided to quit their jobs to join him in his venture. So in 2001, Providend was formed.

Since the beginning of his career in the wealth management industry, Christopher has spoken to hundreds of entities, educating them on personal financial planning issues. He is an internationally sought-after speaker and has also spoken on financial planning issues to hundreds of entities, both local and overseas, including at the CFA Institute Annual Conference held in Singapore.

With more than two decades of experience in the wealth management and financial planning industry, Christopher is often quoted in the local press, as well as financial magazines for his expert opinion on financial matters. He contributes regularly to periodicals such as The Business Times, The Edge, The Straits Times, The Sunday Times, and other publications. Channel NewsAsia, CCTV, Channel 5, and Channel 8 have also interviewed him on issues relating to personal finance.