Paradigm Mortgage Services is to hold a round table event for directly authorised advisers in Northern Ireland for the first time.

This sixth mortgage and protection round table event will be held on Tuesday 26 November at the Ramada Plaza, Shaw’s Bridge in Belfast.

Lucy Castledine from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is the key-note speaker, with the main focus of the event on the firm’s preparations for the Mortgage Market Review (MMR).

Castledine will be taking attendees through the findings of the FCA’s recent broker survey, which it carried out earlier this year, and also outlining the regulator’s plans for the run up to MMR in April 2014.

The mortgage services proposition will also outline its own perspective on MMR with partnership manager, Christine Newell, offering guidance on where firms should be with their plans.

The round table event is open to all directly authorised advisers, whether members or non-members of Paradigm, and will also feature presentations from Paradigm’s chief executive, Bob Hunt, on the income opportunities available with the distributor, plus a session from Antoinette Rizzi from PruProtect on how to add Vitality to a firm’s proposition.

The day begins with registration and coffee from 9.30am and there are also presentations and discussion with representatives from Ageas, Ulster Bank and Virgin Money. All attendees can earn CPD points by attending.

Hunt said: “We fully understand the frustration often felt by advisers in Northern Ireland regarding their access to quality events and their ability to speak with providers and distributors about the opportunities available to them. This is why we believe it is so important to hold this round table event in Belfast and the fact we have secured a representative from the FCA to speak about MMR should make this a must-attend event for many mortgage and protection advisers.

“This event is open to all directly authorised advisers, not just members of Paradigm, as we believe it is vitally important all firms ensure their preparation for the regulatory changes that are coming and to hear from their regulator about how they can ensure their ongoing compliance.”