Hi, I’m Craig!
Mortgage Broker, Financial Advice Provider, CFP, Grad Dip Bus Personal Financial Planning
I’m not your typical finance ‘suit’.
Whilst I’m a Certified Financial Planner with the level of expertise that comes from over two decades in the industry, I’m far from stuffy or formal. I believe wealth creation is for everyone, and I love to simplify the complex world of finance and relate to my clients on a more relaxed level.
For many years I worked in senior positions for a major New Zealand bank. But as I climbed the corporate ladder, I saw there was more to life than KPI's and targets. I became a little uneasy with some of the financial solutions I was required to promote, knowing that the terms weren’t always in the client’s best interests, or some products didn’t meet my client’s needs when compared to others in the market.
I’m a real people-person and what gets me up in the morning is helping people achieve their dreams and grow their wealth. So, in 2014, I left the corporate banking world and founded WealthHealth with my wife, Fiona. Our mission was to create a business that would get people to their goals - providing unbiased, independent advice to help families thrive financially, without having to promote one company’s product over another.
I am a member of the New Zealand Institute of Financial Advisors and I hold their highest (globally-recognised) designation available.
I’m 100% qualified to have a chat with you about anything to do with getting a mortgage (including buying your first home), working out what’s best for you and your family in terms of insurance needs, building a portfolio of investments, making sure you’re set for retirement, and even estate planning.
I love what I do!
A little more about me…
Growing up, my family was pretty entrepreneurial - Mum ran a successful property management business alongside a health business. I earned my pocket money helping her, and she taught me so much about hard work, resilience and integrity.
I entered the financial professions in the year 2000, working first for ANZ (Eftpos) and then for BNZ. I started out in the 24-hour banking call centre, then became a Personal Banker. Early on in my BNZ Career, I discovered I had a real passion for financial services, and decided to embark on some tertiary education in financial planning and investing.
As I studied, my career at BNZ continued to grow; I was promoted to Personal Manager Investments in 2005, and began to specialise in investment planning, becoming a Investment Manager in 2006 then a Private Banker by the end of 2007.
I graduated with a Diploma in Business Studies majoring in Personal Financial Planning, and then went on to achieve CFPCM Certification - the highest achievement within the profession and the only globally-recognised symbol of excellence in financial planning.
During my time in the industry, I’ve been at the coal face of some historic financial times - the economic meltdown that was the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) and New Zealand’s own finance company collapse, property booms and busts, huge changes in financial legislation and regulations, Covid, high interest rates, record low interest rates, the introduction of KiwiSaver and more… Throughout it all, I’ve helped clients navigate massive changes; helping them protect what they’ve worked for during the ‘winters’ and tending and growing their wealth when the economic sun is shining.
Outside of work hours, you'll find me with my wife Fi and sons Ben and Quinn, hanging with friends and flipping steaks on the BBQ, taking our dog Tiggy for a walk along Papamoa Beach (it was a long-held goal to buy a house here - this place is paradise!) and just generally livin’ the good life.
The use of the word ‘independent’ is sometimes questioned due to the fact that we generally get paid commission. But we’re paid a similar level of commission by all the providers we work with, so there isn’t any particular conflict of interest there - we are able to just focus on our client’s best interests first.)
Click the links following to find out more about the mortgage broker, insurance advisor, KiwiSaver and financial planning services I offer.
Catherine Palmer