FPSB India Appoints Ramesh Vishwanathan as Chief Executive Officer to Drive Growth of Financial Planning Profession

Ramesh Vishwanathan will assume the role later this month and will be responsible for overseeing the organization’s strategic direction, growth initiatives, and efforts to advance professional standards in financial planning, with a particular focus on expanding CFP certification across India.

A seasoned financial services executive, Ramesh brings more than 25 years of leadership experience spanning the financial services industry. His expertise includes building and scaling businesses, strengthening strategic partnerships, driving profitable growth, and developing customer-centric value propositions.

Announcing the appointment, Dante De Gori, CFP, Chief Executive Officer of FPSB, said the organization was pleased to welcome Ramesh Vishwanathan to the FPSB family. He noted that India remains one of the fastest-growing markets for CFP certification globally and expressed confidence that Ramesh’s leadership and industry expertise would further strengthen the financial planning profession and the CFP professional ecosystem in the country.

FPSB also acknowledged the contribution of Chandrakant Sureka, who provided leadership and support while overseeing executive business operations for FPSB India on an interim basis during the transition period.

The appointment comes at a time when the financial planning profession in India is witnessing notable growth. India recorded a 9.9 percent year-on-year increase in the number of CFP professionals in 2025, taking the total number of certified professionals to 3,534. The growth highlights the increasing adoption of financial planning as a recognized profession in the country.

Globally, the CFP professional community expanded to 236,300 professionals across 29 territories, with a net addition of 5,652 professionals during 2025. In India, women now account for 23.6 percent of CFP professionals, reflecting steady progress toward greater gender diversity within the profession.

Speaking on his appointment, Ramesh Vishwanathan said he was honored to join FPSB India during a period of significant growth for the financial planning profession. He stated that he looked forward to working closely with industry stakeholders and CFP professionals to enhance awareness of financial planners who adhere to ethics and competency standards while contributing to the vision of a financially empowered developed India.

The continued rise in the number of CFP professionals in India reflects growing awareness of professional financial planning and increasing demand for advisers committed to placing clients’ interests first. It also demonstrates a broader recognition of the value of financial planning in helping individuals make informed financial decisions and achieve long-term life goals.

FPSB India operates as the Indian subsidiary of Financial Planning Standards Board Ltd., the global standards-setting body for the financial planning profession and owner of the international CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER certification program.

FPSB manages, develops, and operates certification, education, and related programs aimed at promoting professional standards in financial planning worldwide. The organization owns the CFP, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER, and CFP Logo Mark internationally outside the United States and authorizes qualified individuals to use these marks after meeting its certification standards and ongoing professional requirements.

The CFP certification is recognized globally as a symbol of excellence in financial planning. It represents professionals who commit to rigorous standards of competency, ethics, lifelong learning, and prioritizing clients’ interests. FPSB and its global network currently certify CFP professionals across 29 territories, including Australia, Austria, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chinese Taipei, Colombia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Macau, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, People’s Republic of China, Republic of Korea, San Marino, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The appointment of Ramesh Vishwanathan underscores FPSB India’s commitment to advancing professional excellence in financial planning and supporting the continued expansion of the CFP certification ecosystem in one of the world’s fastest-growing financial advisory markets.