Emma Arthur, an adviser at Lifewise financial solutions and EKA Wealth Management, won the Financial Planner of the Year award at the Women in Finance Awards in Sydney this month.

The award is the second national finance award for a Warrnambool professional this year, after a mortgage broker won an award for customer service.

Ms Arthur said she was surprised she won the award and humbled to receive recognition for her hard work among a room of 800 others from the industry.

"This award shows you might be just a little person from the country but sometimes you can make a difference," she said. "I am pretty passionate about making sure we give advice, irrespective of where clients are at, that hopefully puts them in a better position."

Ms Arthur said men outnumbered women in the industry, although the ratio was shifting. She and her colleagues are also passionate about heightening community financial literacy and hosted women-only workshops earlier this year.

Ms Arthur said she regularly helped couples gain an equal understanding of their finances, supported retirees to be independent, and helped individuals and their loved ones transition into aged care.

RELATED: A financial literacy workshop for women will be held in Warrnambool in early March

"I do have quite a few female clients. I also have couples as well where it has become apparent husbands may run things financially," she said. "Then if that spouse passes away the female is required to pick up the pieces and run things they haven't had exposure to."

The Women in Finance Awards, in its third year, spotlights the strength, diversity and innovation female leadership brings to Australia's professional and financial services.

AMP Bank's chief financial officer Victoria Hickey presented Ms Arthur with the award.

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