Since entering the financial planning profession, I have held a deep desire to help people feel safe and secure when it comes to money.

The financial world is a complex environment. It’s difficult for people to understand their options and make important decisions with confidence. My role is to discover what clients want, simplify the complexity in their lives, and reveal a clear path towards their goals.

I’m incredibly passionate about the value of meaningful financial planning. It’s a wonderful thing to meet people from all walks of life, listen to their stories and help them plan for the future. Showing people how to achieve things they never thought possible provides a real sense of joy and fulfilment.

I’m proud to play a role in shaping the future of financial planning alongside my brilliant PFS Power colleagues.   

Julia Belle brings a unique combination of media expertise, facilitation skills, and authentic advocacy for women’s leadership, making her an excellent choice to host and moderate panel discussions. With extensive experience across television, corporate media, and live facilitation, Julia is regularly commissioned for Channel 4 productions, children’s programming, and corporate video projects. Alongside her media career, she has delivered business training programmes across the UK, leading workshops in team building, customer care, coaching, and presentation skills. Known for her engaging and inclusive facilitation style, Julia is particularly skilled at drawing out meaningful conversations, balancing diverse perspectives, and creating an environment where speakers feel confident sharing authentic insights and experiences.

Terry Blackburn has been in the financial services industry for 17 years, in that time he has built and scaled up 2 financial services ARs to over 7 figures from scratch, winning over 15 national and international awards for excellence in sales, and business growth. Over his career, he has recruited, trained, and led hundreds of advisers and brokers, developing award-winning sales teams and creating millions in commissions. He has also won awards in the property investment space and more recently has also won awards in the marketing and online education space.

Terry is the founder of The Wealthy Advisers Club, a unique training community and platform with over 2100 members where he is helping mortgage & protection brokers & other financial services professionals to generate more leads, covert more protection and build profitable businesses.

Alongside his financial services successes, Terry has built a substantial property portfolio, runs multiple hotels, a bar and restaurant, and owns businesses across hospitality, construction, and property investment.

Terry is also the author of Be a Lion winner of best business book of the year in 2021 at the Hollywood, Paris, and San Francisco book festivals)

More recently he released The Life Insurance Playbook on Amazon specifically around how to sell protection which has already sold 100s of copies nationwide 

All while staying fit and being a proud father of four.

Robert Boland FPFS is a Chartered Financial Planner, Fellow of the Personal Finance Society (FPFS), and Director of Cotswold Independent Financial Services Ltd. With more than 20 years of experience in financial services, he is passionate about helping individuals, families and business owners make confident financial decisions and build long-term financial security.

Rob began his career in 2006 with Bradford & Bingley before qualifying as a Financial Adviser in 2008. Throughout his career, Rob has been a passionate advocate for improving financial literacy and raising professional standards across the advice sector. Since 2019, he has volunteered as an Education Outreach Ambassador for the Personal Finance Society’s My Personal Finance Skills programme, delivering engaging financial education sessions to more than 3,000 students in schools and colleges across the Midlands. He has also played an active role in developing the programme, supporting volunteer engagement and championing financial education within local communities.

His dedication to education and the profession has been recognised through several prestigious awards, including being named Personal Finance Society Education Champion of the Year (2021/22) and Winner of the Personal Finance Society Champion of Change Award (2025/26). He is also a former President of the Insurance Institute of Coventry and continues to support initiatives that inspire the next generation of financial professionals.

Carla is a Chartered Financial Planner, Fellow of the PFS, graduated from Loughborough University with an MSc in Wealth Management in 2018, is accredited as a later life adviser with the Society of Later Life Advisers (SOLLA), and holds a Certificate in Relational Financial Planning. In 2019, Carla won the inaugural SJP ‘Chartered Financial Planner of the Year’ award and in 2021 went on to win the prestigious PFS ‘Chartered Financial Planner of the Year 2021/22’. She has been nominated for multiple other awards.

Prior to starting her own business in 2011, Carla spent 15 years working with HSBC and Bradford & Bingley as an Independent Financial Adviser, and Cheshire Building Society as a Financial Consultant. She has also gained governance experience as a Trustee and Director of DMPL Ltd, a resident’s association for a private housing development, and as a school governor.

Rebecca Brindley is a leading figure in digital accessibility and inclusive digital transformation. At NatWest Group, she founded and built the organisation’s Digital Accessibility Team, securing executive sponsorship and embedding accessibility into customer experience and innovation. A respected mentor and advocate across disability, accessibility and STEM, she speaks widely on inclusive design and the role of accessibility in driving better products for everyone. Rebecca also created the first cross‑industry financial services accessibility forum, which evolved into a Business Disability Forum (BDF) industry group, strengthening sector‑wide collaboration. Rebecca is the current UK Cabinet Office Disability & Access Ambassador for the Banking Sector.

Chris Budd founded financial planning company Ovation Finance Ltd in 2000. He sold a majority of Ovation to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) in March 2018.

He is the author of six books, the original Financial Wellbeing Book in 2016, and the latest is The Four Cornerstones Of Financial Wellbeing. He has also published three novels.

Chris writes The Financial Wellbeing Podcast. He founded the Initiative for Financial Wellbeing (IFW). The IFW aims to help advisers to help their clients to be happier, not just wealthier.

Chris lives in Somerset with his family and too many guitars.

Ronni Cook is the founder of Chartwell Financial Planning (St. James’s Place Partner Practice) and a Financial Planner specialising in pensions and holistic planning. She helps clients build long-term financial security with a modern, straight-talking approach. Ronni is also a firefighter, and her frontline experience shapes how she supports clients through major life events with clarity and care.

Megan Caywood Cooper stands at the forefront of the AI financial services revolution, uniquely positioned as both a successful fintech founder and a corporate transformation leader driving change from within established banking. As Founder and CEO of Caywood, the groundbreaking AI-driven WealthTech platform launched in 2024, Megan is democratising access to personalised financial guidance for everyday consumers. Her startup leverages generative AI to create “financial autopilots” that help people save, invest, manage debt, and optimise taxes – bringing sophisticated wealth management to the masses rather than just high-net-worth individuals. Her remarkable career journey began in Silicon Valley at Intuit before she was awarded an Exceptional Talent Visa in 2016 to move from San Francisco to London to help launch Starling Bank as Chief Platform Officer. There, she designed and rolled out the revolutionary Starling Marketplace and became the “second face” of the challenger bank. Her work earned her recognition on the prestigious Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2018.  

Matt Cordas is a Strategic Business Partner at The Openwork Partnership. He’s led initiatives spanning adviser talent strategy, marketing, and business transformation. Matt focuses on growth, distribution, adviser propositions, and strategic change. He regularly speaks on the future of financial advice, the role of technology and AI in the profession, and how firms can build stronger relationships with clients and advisers in an increasingly digital world.

Thomas Coull is a Paraplanner at Chase de Vere, supporting advisers within the Personal Injury and Court of Protection team. He has over 15 years of experience in financial services, with a background spanning retail banking, compliance and financial planning.

Thomas works closely with advisers to deliver tailored financial planning solutions, particularly in complex and sensitive cases.

Since joining Chase de Vere in October 2021, Thomas has developed expertise in long-term financial planning for vulnerable clients and is progressing towards an advisory role. He regularly attends client meetings alongside Jennifer Stone, gaining valuable client-facing experience.

Kristen is Managing Director of Red Star Wealth, a firm of financial planners she has led for more than 15 years. With over 25 years’ experience in financial planning, she has built a reputation for combining technical expertise with a genuinely people-focused approach, helping individuals, families, business owners and professional athletes make confident decisions about their financial futures.

Alongside her work at Red Star Wealth, Kristen is the founder of Red Star Education, delivering financial literacy and wellbeing programmes within many elite athlete development environments. She is also a certified Trauma of Money Coach, specialising in the emotional and psychological relationship people have with money, helping clients understand the experiences, beliefs and behaviours that shape their financial decisions and overall wellbeing.

Kristen is the resident financial expert on BBC Radio Lancashire’s mid morning show, the host of the Do I Have To Adult Now? podcast and regularly speaks on topics around Women & Financial Planning, Financial Wellbeing in Elite Sport and the physiological and emotional responses to money and wealth.

Bernie De Souza is an international speaker, author and executive coach whose presentations are powerful, fast-moving, entertaining, and packed with practical skills.

Bernie teaches delegates the exact words and phrases to use to build instant trust, connect with clients and win more business.

His unique approach ensures delegates leave entertained, motivated and inspired, equipped with simple, actionable communication skills they can use immediately to achieve better results and build stronger client relationships that last a lifetime.

Sara Davison is a multi-award-winning coach, five-times best-selling author and founder of the International Divorce Coach Centre of Excellence. Best known as The Divorce Coach, she works at the intersection of human behaviour, financial decision-making and complex relationship breakdown.

Sara supports individuals navigating breakup, divorce and domestic abuse – including high and ultra-high-net-worth clients facing particularly sensitive, high-pressure situations where emotional dynamics directly impact financial outcomes. She also works alongside financial planners, wealth managers and legal professionals, providing specialist insight and support during critical client transitions.

A survivor of domestic abuse, Sara combines lived experience with professional expertise to deliver CPD-accredited training for financial, legal and corporate professionals. Her work equips advisers with the awareness and practical tools to better understand client behaviour, recognise vulnerability and respond with confidence while maintaining clear professional boundaries.

Sara leads a global network of over 800 accredited coaches across 30 countries and is a trusted media commentator across the UK and US. She is the host of the Heartbreak to Happiness podcast and patron of The DASH Charity (Domestic Abuse Stops Here).

Through her speaking and training, Sara helps professionals understand what may sit beneath client behaviour – enabling stronger client relationships, better decision-making and more effective advice.

Nick is a long-standing and passionate supporter of the value of financial advice. He has pioneered the role of technology solutions that fundamentally improve the efficiency and engagement experience for both clients and advisers. In turn, this has the potential to significantly widen access to financial advice.

Nick is responsible for ensuring that intelliflo delivers to its strategic vision by supporting, coaching and mentoring the great people who work for us.                                                                                                                                        

As an entrepreneur, Nick founded the original intelliflo business over 20 years ago with the express intent of improving technology for those operating in the financial advice industry. Technology has changed over that time and Nick has ensured that both the service and the software that intelliflo provides has remained at the forefront of this evolving landscape.

Nick loves to read and added audio books recently so he can multi-task while exercising, although riding on a Peloton makes it difficult to concentrate on both! Nick is also passionate about food and football – in particular, his lifelong obsession with Liverpool FC.

Nick Elston is an award-winning speaker, writer, and founder of Forging People, delivering powerful, human-centred sessions on mental health, resilience, communication, and leadership.

Drawing on lived experience and over a decade of work with global organisations, Nick helps people and teams move out of survival mode and back into clarity, confidence, and connection. His work is particularly recognised within the financial services industry, where his award-winning talks, keynotes and sessions support professionals navigating pressure, performance, and complexity.

Nick is a regular contributor to leading global publications including CIPD, HRD, BBC, NBC, HRZone, TrainingZone, CPD and other international outlets and media outlets, sharing all things mental health, culture, burnout, and the human cost of modern work.

Known for his warmth, honesty, and engaging delivery, Nick blends insight, humour, and real-world practicality to create experiences that resonate long after the room empties.

Financial Planning changed my life. As a client of an excellent Financial Planner, I was given the confidence and belief that starting a new career in my early 30’s was possible. And the career I chose was Financial Planning.

While it may not be as life changing for others, the positive impact it can have on people’s lives should not be understated. For that to happen, we need to dig deeper than just numbers.

Financial Planning should be there to support your life goals, future aspirations, and help you through the good times and the bad. It should help you live the life you want.

I’m passionate that this is how Financial Planning should be for all, and I am excited to be part of PFS POWER initiative as they look to reshape the future of Financial Planning.

Ali Fanshawe is Co-Founder and COO of SENDA, where she helps drive the organisation’s strategic and operational direction, aiming to transform financial and estate planning advice for SEND families. After beginning her career in investment banking and senior strategy roles within blue-chip organisations, Ali spent eight years navigating the specialist education system for her two children, inspiring her to found the SEND parenting community FizzyKids. She is a passionate advocate for excellence in and inclusive access to financial guidance.

Tony began his career in financial services in 2001 and became a Chartered Financial Planner in 2012. After two decades in the profession, and while expecting his fourth child, he made the bold decision in 2021 to step away from advising and pursue a different path — helping high performers operate at their best without sacrificing what matters at home.

Today, Tony is an award-winning performance coach working with senior leaders and ambitious professionals who want to achieve sustainable success. In 2024, he was named Best Business Life Coach in the UK and has become a sought-after keynote speaker across the financial services sector, including being one of the standout speakers at the 2024 PFS National Conference.
Tony combines deep industry understanding with performance psychology, behavioural insight, and practical operating strategies. His sessions are known for being grounded, thought-provoking, and energising — creating a genuine shift in how advisers think, lead, and perform.

Outside of his professional work, Tony is a hands-on father of four, coaches two youth football teams, and remains enthusiastically outnumbered at home — including by the family dog, Bumble.

Ziba Goddard is the CEO of Cowry Consulting. She started the business in 2016 and is passionate about democratising the field of Behavioural Science and teaching businesses to apply Behavioural Science. She works with clients including Walmart, Tesco, Amazon and Sky to transform customer and employee experiences through the application of Psychology, Behavioural Science and Nudge Theory.  Ziba’s career has included Clinical Psychology at the Institute of Psychiatry, Organisational Psychology at BNY Mellon and Behavioural Science at Cowry Consulting. She runs sessions for the Executive programmes at London Business School and INSEAD. 

Caroline Gorski is a leading technology strategist and executive with a thirty‑year career shaping the future of artificial intelligence, data innovation and emerging technologies. She has led major initiatives including Rolls-Royce’s R2 Data Labs and R2 Factory, co-founded the global COVID‑19 economic recovery project Emergent Alliance, and served as CEO of Capital Enterprise, the UK’s largest start‑up support network. Her work spans aerospace, defence, financial services, healthcare, and climate innovation, where she is widely recognised for advancing responsible AI and data-driven transformation. Today she is Co-Founder of Cerestrial LLP and a sought-after advisor, and keynote speaker known for her impact across industry, government and international policy.

Eddie Grant is a strategic leader in financial planning, governance and consumer protection. A Chartered Financial Planner and longest serving Personal Finance Society Non-Executive Director and former PFS President and Chair, he has shaped professional standards and governance across the UK advice sector. Eddie previously held senior executive roles at SJP, where he led initiatives on accessibility, vulnerability and digital legacy. He has been a prominent industry spokesperson on financial advice, professional development and support for clients in vulnerable circumstances. Eddie also chairs the Finance in Society Research Institute, bringing academic insight and social purpose into the future of financial planning. Eddie is the current UK Cabinet Office Disability & Access Ambassador for the Insurance and Financial Planning Sector

Philippa Hann is the CEO of Paradigm Norton Financial Planning where she is committed to empowering the firm to grow, innovate and thrive by prioritising its people, its clients and impacting the world around it. Before joining the profession, she spent 20 years as a lawyer in the financial sector where she led complex multi-million-pound litigation against financial advice firms and major financial institutions for regulatory failures and professional negligence.

She is also the co-author of a brand-new book – The Fault Lines Of Finance – which explores why ethics in finance matters and how it goes wrong. Written with neuro-psychologist Dr Moira Somers, the book delves into the psychology of individuals involved in ethical scandals and the work we can all do to protect our own integrity.

Philippa has regularly spoken at industry events and written for financial journals. Outside of work Philippa loves spending time with her three daughters and when she’s not with them, there is little she enjoys more than cycling and running. She has completed two iron distance triathlons and many running events. She loves a finish line and a medal.

James is an Edinburgh-based financial planner in the early stages of his advice career. After a decade in institutional finance—working across banks, asset managers, and consultancies—he pivoted to financial planning to find deeper fulfilment. By combining his technical problem-solving background with a passion for building relationships, James now focuses on making a direct, meaningful impact on his clients’ lives.

Cecilia Harvey brings deep expertise across capital markets, financial technology, and operational leadership, having held senior positions including COO for Markets & Securities Services Technology and Global Rates & CVA Technology at Citi, Global Programme Change Lead at Barclays Capital within Fixed Income Exotics, and Director within HSBC Global Banking & Markets. Her career spans leadership roles across Citi, Barclays Capital, HSBC, OpenFin, and Morgan Stanley, where she has led complex trading, transformation, and technology environments at scale. Alongside her corporate leadership experience, Cecilia is currently Head of Operations at the Royal Academy of Engineering and Chair of Tech Women Today, a global platform supporting women in technology. She has also been recognised in Forbes Leading Ladies of Tech, British Vogue Force for Change 2020, and the EmPower 100 2019. Her extensive financial markets expertise, combined with her advocacy for innovation and inclusion in technology, makes her a particularly strong fit for financial services and technology-focused audiences.

Danni spent more than 19 years at the BBC, presenting and reporting on business news across a variety of programmes – including BBC Breakfast, BBC News Channel, BBC Look North and latterly Radio 5 Live’s flagship business programme ‘Wake up to Money’. She is now responsible for producing analysis and commentary across a broad range of subjects at AJ Bell, from financial markets, to economics and personal finance.

I am a Chartered Financial Planner, Fellow of the Personal Finance Society and the Company Director and Owner of KBA. I lead a team and I am passionate about empowering individuals to achieve their financial goals.

Paul Hogarth has over 40 years experience in financial services, having created and led advice and investment management businesses, and built a career from understanding the needs of advisers and clients. Paul is passionate about supporting advisers and working to deliver excellence together.

Ryan joined AJ Bell in 2016 and has over 26 years of investment experience having worked in finance advice and asset management in a variety of investment focused roles. Ryan is responsible for the funds and investment solutions managed by AJ Bell Investments, working closely with AJ Bell’s platform business as well as the distribution into the wider market.

Like most, I fell into the profession. My first job in financial services started in 2013 – what I didn’t realise, was that it was on the counter, at Nationwide – that came as a surprise. Since then I’ve found my “home” as a Financial Planner. My spare time I train Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu – my main passion, and enjoy the odd adventure with my wife, Harriett, and constantly defuzzing hair from my clothes from our 3 dogs and 2 cats

Louise founded Gunner & Co. in 2014, after a decade of general management roles internationally. At that time, the M&A market was just taking shape, and Louise could see an opportunity to build a service for retiring IFAs to truly be a partner in the succession planning process.

Being service focused from the outset, the values the business was built on remain today, values Louise aligns closely to. Establishing and understanding client needs and delivering against those is central to all we do.

Louise runs the business day to day, with a particular focus on delivering insight and guidance to buyers and sellers through workshops, webinars and online guides. Louise also leads Gunner & Co.’s philanthropic activities, including being a trustee of one of our two chosen charities, Do Slumthing.

With a decade of brokerage and consultancy experience, there isn’t a deal shape Louise hasn’t seen, and is on speed dial for many prominent players across the press and market.

Outside of Gunner & Co., Louise enjoys running and talking about her Peloton, and spending time chasing her young son.

Dr. Michael Kothakota is a financial planning practitioner and researcher. He is co-founder of WolfBridge Wealth and holds a Masters in Predictive Analytics from Northwestern University and Ph.D. in Personal Financial Planning from Kansas State University. His research focuses on financial planning practice, divorce, and methods. His work has appeared in peer-reviewed journals including the Financial Planning Review, Journal of Financial Therapy, the Journal of Financial Planning and Counseling, and the Journal of Financial Planning. He currently is the academic editor of the Journal of Financial Planning, is a lecturer at Columbia University, former professor at New York University, Kansas State University and the University of Georgia. Dr. Kothakota has presented internationally on topics related to financial risk, marital dissolution and statistical methods. He hold numerous certifications and designations including as a CFP(R) professional.

Ash Kapasi joined Quilter’s Specialist Sales team in April 2018, with a focus on International Sales and Trust Planning.  After the sale of Quilter International to Utmost, he re-joined Quilter in April 2023.  He has more than 28 years’ experience in the industry, and has previously worked for Brooks Macdonald, Canada Life and Aviva.  He specialises in working with financial advisers, helping them to achieve their clients’ financial planning goals through workshops, seminars, and visits, and to help them enhance their understanding of investment products wrappers and trust structures.

International thought leader and author George Kinder has been at the forefront of the financial services industry for decades, spearheading the financial life planning movement that identifies clients’ dreams of freedom and delivers them with entrepreneurial energy. Through books, workshops, and speaking engagements, Kinder has trained thousands of professionals globally in financial life planning. After 30 years as a financial planner and tax adviser, he founded the Kinder Institute of Life Planning in 2003. In his latest book, The Three Domains of Freedom, Kinder advocates a sustainable approach for institutions to prioritize humanity, democracy, the Earth, and truth above their own self-interest—a concept he terms Fiduciary In All Things (FIAT). In 2025, the UK Home Office awarded him the Innovator Founder visa to bring FIAT directly into businesses globally through transformative workshops and speaking engagements via The Moules, his London-based fiduciary development company.

Shadi is a Financial Planner and co-founder of Transform Financial Planning, helping people navigate life’s biggest “what next?” moments with clarity and confidence.

With an MBA and 15+ years in financial services, she combines strategic expertise with a deeply human approach.  Speaking on The Power of Listening, Shadi believes the most valuable skill in business and life is making people feel truly heard. A mum of four boys, she brings warmth, energy, and authenticity to every conversation.

Mike LeGassick is an Independent Financial Adviser and Behavioural Investment Coach with over three decades of experience. He is the author of Your Money and Your Life and The Art of Storytelling for Financial Advisers, and the creator of Letters From Your Future Self, a behavioural profiling platform for advisory firms. His work focuses on why the human side of financial advice matters more than the technical side.

Joel Lightfoot joined Chase de Vere as an administrator in the Personal Injury and Court of Protection team (PICOP) in October 2022. After providing administrative support to Jennifer Stone and two junior advisers, Joel moved into a report writing role in July 2025. He has spent the last year developing his knowledge of paraplanning in the PICOP team.

Prior to joining Chase de Vere, Joel spent 10 months working as a bereavement specialist in financial services following his graduation from The University of Manchester in 2021, where he studied Accounting and Finance.  

Ola Majekodunmi is a leading voice in financial education and the founder of All Things Money, an online platform designed to provide young adults with some of the financial tools needed to help navigate the adulting world. Launched in 2020, the platform has now become a thriving online community of over 55,000 people across social media and a weekly podcast that has received more than 210,000 downloads.

All Things Money offers a wide range of personal finance tips and information from topics such as budgeting, saving, investing, mortgages and much more!

Alongside her digital content, Ola regularly delivers engaging workshops for schools, universities, and corporate organisations, aiming to close the financial literacy gap and inspire the next generation to take control of their financial future with confidence.

James runs a boutique financial advice practice specifically for doctors, his background in digital marketing has helped him build innovative routes to market working with a highly engaged niche group of customers through creation of highly relevant content for his audience.  

Sir Charlie Mayfield led the Keep Britain Working Review, and is now continuing to lead work alongside the Government and volunteer employers and regions to examine how employers can best recruit and retain more people with health conditions and disabled people; promote healthy and inclusive workplaces, and support more people to stay in or return to work from periods of sickness absence. Sir Charlie is also founder and chairman of Be the Business and the Productivity Leadership Group, which focus on stimulating and encouraging competitiveness and growth in businesses across the UK, and Chairman of QA Limited, a training and skills technology and IT solutions provider. Prior to this, he was appointed Chairman of the UK Commission for Employment and Skills in November 2010. Charlie became the John Lewis Partnership’s fifth Chairman in March 2007 and remained in role until 2020.

Hardy Michel is co-founder of Marloo, bringing deep operational experience in financial services to the business. He was the second employee at Sharesies, where he led Operations for five years as the company grew from zero to $3bn AUM and 700,000 customers across Australia and New Zealand. His remit spanned custody, clearing and settlement, investments, and audits. That background in scaling regulated financial infrastructure directly informs how Marloo is built. Hardy co-founded Marloo alongside Shakeel Lala, and the company is backed by Blackbird VC.

Hector Minto is one of the world’s most influential voices in assistive technology and inclusive innovation. As Founder and CEO of Kerbcut, he is redefining how people discover and access assistive technology. A former Global Accessibility Lead at Microsoft, Hector spent 25 years driving breakthroughs in eye‑gaze, gesture technology, communication tools and inclusive design. He has advised UK Government on disability, employment and digital inclusion, and served as the UK Cabinet Office Disability & Access Ambassador for the Technology Sector. Hector is known for his ability to connect policy, technology and lived experience to accelerate accessibility at scale.

Andy McBride is the founder of Achieve UK Consulting, a specialist training and consultancy firm helping financial services professionals strengthen client relationships, improve communication, and adapt to a changing marketplace. With extensive experience working alongside advisers and planners, Andy combines practical insights with proven frameworks to help firms remain relevant across generations. His work centres on bridging the gap between traditional practice and modern client expectations, ensuring advisers can build trust, communicate with impact, and embed long-term success. Passionate about developing people and businesses, Andy is a sought-after speaker, trainer, and trusted partner to firms across the UK.

I’m Hannie Mason, a Mortgage & Protection Adviser, business owner, speaker, and financial educator. I help people navigate mortgages, property finance, and protection with confidence by simplifying complex topics into practical, easy to understand advice.

Through my business, content, workshops, and media appearances, I’m passionate about improving financial literacy and making conversations about money, mortgages, and property ownership feel less intimidating. I’m equally passionate about supporting and developing new talent within the industry, helping the next generation of advisers build confidence, knowledge, and successful careers.

My mission is to help people make informed financial decisions, protect what matters most, and feel empowered throughout their property journey while contributing to a more knowledgeable, supportive, and accessible financial services industry.

Abraham Okusanya is the Founder and CEO of Timeline, a company on a mission to help millions of people plan, invest, and retire with confidence. With over £14 billion in assets entrusted to its model portfolios, Timeline is intent on becoming the go-to integrated technology ecosystem for financial advisers across the UK.

A passionate advocate for evidence-based investing and better client outcomes, Abraham is known for his bold thinking, data-driven insights, and willingness to challenge conventional wisdom.

Nick is a self-made entrepreneur who, over more than 20 years, has built Henwood Court into one of the Midlands’ leading boutique financial planning firms. He now leads a team of talented financial experts serving a select group of business owners, senior executives, and retirees with wealth typically between £2m and £20m.

His message is simple and a bit uncomfortable for most financial advice: money isn’t the goal, it’s the tool. Too many successful people keep working long after they’ve made enough, because nobody ever showed them how to convert wealth into a life. Nick calls it financial freedom, the point where you can afford the life you want without needing to work for it, and the firm’s job is getting clients there faster, and making sure they actually live it once they arrive. That’s why coaching sits alongside the technical planning at Henwood Court, helping clients get clear on what they actually want from their wealth, so the financial plan is built around a life worth having, not the other way round.

For business owners, that often means confronting an uncomfortable truth: they’ve built something great but haven’t worked out their exit. Get the exit and the life plan sorted at the same time, Nick argues, or you risk ending up with one but not the other, a big payday with no idea what to do next, or a comfortable retirement that never arrives because the business still owns you. It’s a subject close to home: as a business owner himself, Nick is now applying the same thinking to his own succession plan at Henwood Court.

For retirees, and the soon to retire, the challenge is different but related. Most people spend thirty or forty years in accumulation mode, and then retire with no idea how to switch into spending mode. They’ve got the money but not the permission to use it. The firm’s work here is as much psychological as financial: helping people work out what they actually want their remaining years to look like, then building a plan that pays for it, while also making sure their family is protected and their estate doesn’t hand an unnecessary chunk to the taxman. Gifting, inheritance tax planning, and passing wealth on to the next generation while everyone’s still around to enjoy it, all of this sits inside what Henwood Court calls multigenerational financial freedom.

Henwood Court has been called the Midlands’ best kept secret, a “small giant” that has grown almost entirely on referral. The firm is selective by design, working only with clients where it can add significant value, which is why so many come through personal recommendation rather than marketing. In its most recent client survey, 95% of clients said working with Henwood Court had helped them achieve their financial goals.

Nick is married to Victoria and they have two grown-up daughters. After family time, Nick enjoys his love of cycling, testing his patience with golf and travelling (ideally with his bike and Vicki, of course). He’s an avid reader of both fiction and non-fiction but avoids DIY at all costs.

Nick is learning Spanish again and hopes to combine his skills with a cycling trip around Spain.

Jiří Paták is a venture builder and investor focused on finance, data, and artificial intelligence. He is the founder of ONE BOND, a venture platform building companies aimed at becoming core infrastructure for financial services in Europe. He is also a board member of EFPA Czech Republic, contributing to the development of professional standards in an AI-driven advisory landscape.

His work is strongly focused on data and infrastructure initiatives under NUDA, which aims to create a unified backbone for financial distribution, data processing, and embedded intelligence across European markets. The goal is to enable financial institutions and distributors to scale faster, operate more efficiently, and deliver better outcomes through data and technology.

He has been involved in building ventures such as Patron GO, Flatari, and EMA, which leverage this infrastructure layer to deliver practical, scalable solutions combining AI, data, and digital distribution.

Within ONE BOND, he focuses on strategy, venture architecture, and international partnerships, with an emphasis on building systems that integrate data, regulation, and distribution into scalable platforms across markets.

I’m Head of Proposition at Equilibrium Financial Planning. In plain English, that means I design our advice strategy and make sure we’re positioned competitively, while also ensuring that our team has the frameworks they need to deliver exceptional, holistic financial planning for clients. That involves shaping how we meet client needs; whether that’s refining our advice methodology, designing client experiences, or building the operational infrastructure that differentiates our client experience. I work on proposition architecture, regulatory requirements, and continuous improvement to ensure we stay differentiated as the financial planning profession evolves. I’m equally committed to talent development and the powerful role paraplanners play in delivering client value. As Director and Head of Mentoring at The Paraplanner Club, I’ve worked with the founders to build a nationwide mentorship programme that’s transforming how paraplanners develop strategic capability. I believe that paraplanning is fundamental to holistic planning, and this shapes how I design propositions and build teams. I believe the profession’s greatest untapped asset lies in recognising and developing talent beyond traditional financial planner routes. I’m also a member of the PFS POWER Panel, where I’m excited to share insights from my experiences working with both paraplanners and financial planners, and to champion the vital role paraplanners play in delivering exceptional financial planning outcomes.

With over fifteen years’ experience in financial services, Nick joined Downing in 2015 as a Business Development Manager. Prior to that, he worked for Canada Life with a focus on offshore and IHT products in the London area. Nick is DipPFS qualified and he previously worked in third way investments and as an adviser at Barclays.

Jamie Proctor is a former professional footballer turned financial planner, working with clients across sport, business and media. Growing up with very little and experiencing first-hand the lack of financial guidance in professional sport sparked his fascination with the industry. He now helps high earners, including athletes, entrepreneurs and international clients, bring structure to their finances through honest conversations and clear planning, particularly those navigating complex careers, income streams and cross border financial decisions.

Gaynor sits at the point where strategy, operations and leadership meet. At Melo, she ensures the business runs with clarity, structure and pace, while also working with financial planning firms in a board-level and NED capacity to help leadership teams improve decision-making, strengthen performance and scale sustainably.

With a background in business growth and organisational design, she combines strategic oversight with operational delivery. She spent 14 years with Strategic Coach, working closely with Dan Sullivan, before joining Equilibrium as Managing Partner. There, she helped grow the business tenfold, played a key role in its successful exit and contributed to its recognition as a Top 10 firm in The Sunday Times Top 100.

Through this experience, Gaynor developed strong commercial awareness and a clear understanding of what it takes to build and lead high-performing businesses. She has worked alongside ambitious entrepreneurs across the UK and internationally, supporting growth, change and long-term value creation, and has shared her perspective on industry trends in publications such as FT Adviser and Money Marketing.

At Melo, she focuses on creating the conditions for both clients and the team to perform at their best. This includes embedding structure, strengthening processes and leading on culture so that high standards and high performance go hand in hand, as reflected in her approach to supporting financial planning firms.

With 25 years’ financial services experience, Justine is our Managing Director and leads our distribution, marketing and proposition teams. A part of the Tatton family for over 8 years, she is a regular industry speaker, raising awareness of MPS overall and championing our goal to bring down the cost of investing.  Justine is a passionate leader and thrives working at the forefront of our distribution teams engaging with our strategic partners and IFA advocates.

James Richards is a Senior Adoption Manager at intelliflo, where he has spent 18 years helping drive customer success across a range of roles spanning L&D, sales, and solution delivery. Prior to joining intelliflo, he spent a decade in financial services as a paraplanner and mortgage adviser. James is passionate about helping firms maximise the value of technology to improve efficiency and outcomes. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family, particularly visiting theme parks.

Charlie Reading is a serial entrepreneur, acclaimed speaker, and four-time author, celebrated for his strategic insights into financial planning and business growth. Founder of the award-winning Efficient Portfolio Wealth Management, amongst his many business ventures Charlie now leads The Trusted Team, a coaching business that helps business owners and professionals achieve growth while working less and enjoying more. As host of the Business of Endurance podcast, he draws powerful lessons from the world of endurance sports to empower and inspire. His books, including “Entrepreneurial Happiness” and “The Dream Retirement,” reflect his dedication to helping others find balance and fulfilment. A qualified Ironman World Championship competitor and ultra-marathon runner, Charlie embodies the spirit of endurance in his professional and personal pursuits.

I am a dad to two, husband to one and an adviser to many. I am passionate about helping people through often difficult transitions in life. Be it a business owner in the build up to exit their business or a high earning professional seeking a change of pace. They both need a plan so they can enjoy a successful transition to the next stage of life.

I started Citygate Financial Planning in 2015 and work primarily as the new business adviser, but also as the company director and employee benefits consultant. I have 18 years’ experience advising clients helping them towards financial freedom.

My passion for helping people get more out of life comes from the death or my dad at a young age and the subsequent power his financial plan had.

Jennifer Stone is an award‑winning Independent Financial Adviser with over 30 years’ experience, specialising in personal injury and clinical negligence cases. Currently with Chase de Vere, she is widely recognised for her expertise in advising both claimants and defendants, and has produced more than a thousand expert witness reports over the course of her career.

Jennifer’s work sits at the intersection of finance, law, and vulnerability. She supports clients and legal teams with complex topics such as personal injury trusts, long‑term financial planning, and Court of Protection matters, and is regularly appointed by Deputies to provide financial advice for protected beneficiaries. Her commitment to excellence in vulnerable client care has earned her national recognition, including Professional Adviser’s Woman of the Year – Vulnerable Client Care in both 2023 and 2025, as well as a 2025 commendation for Outstanding Contribution to the Profession.

Fifteen years prior to joining Chase de Vere in 2020, Jennifer co‑founded the specialist firm Nestor Financial Group, playing a key role in building it into one of the UK’s most respected names in personal injury financial advice. She is also a frequent speaker and writer within the legal sector, contributing insights that help practitioners better understand the financial needs of injured and vulnerable clients.

Rob Schwarz is a co-founder of Finova Money, which he launched with two of his friends and business partners in May 2023. As well as helping clients gain clarity and confidence around their financial future, he has experienced first-hand what it takes to build a business from scratch, from the excitement of starting out to the inevitable challenges that come with growth.

Liz Syms is the Chief Executive Officer and founder of Connect Mortgages and Connect for Intermediaries, bringing over 25 years of expertise in mortgage and financial advice. Liz leads a dynamic team of more than 60 staff, specialising particularly in complex and specialist mortgages. In 2012, Liz established an award-winning Specialist Mortgage Network, now supporting over 350 advisers operating across mainstream and specialist markets, including complex buy-to-let, commercial, bridging, and development finance.

Passionate about innovation, Liz champions technology and AI advancements to streamline mortgage processes and enhance adviser productivity. She dedicates significant time to developing and delivering training content, emphasising technology-driven solutions from the adviser’s viewpoint. Additionally, Liz serves as Chair of the Society of Mortgage Professionals and as a board adviser for the Financial Intermediary and Broker Association (FIBA). She authored the Buy-to-Let module of the LIBF accreditation “The Certified Practitioner in Specialist Property Finance” and collaborated with FIBA and LIBF to introduce this groundbreaking qualification to the specialist market.

David Swanwick is Dimensional’s Head of Client Communications for the EMEA region and is based out of the firm’s London office. David works with clients across the region and globally to aid the delivery of consistent and successful experiences to their clients. He helps firms achieve their potential through analysis and application of proven practice management and client communication techniques. In addition, David leads the strategy and design for all of Dimensional’s EMEA conferences and events as well as the annual strategic benchmarking study, investor survey and study group programmes for financial advisers.

Prior to joining Dimensional, David was a private client adviser with SFG Australia, a leading wealth management business servicing high-net-worth families and organisations. Originally from a banking background, David was later appointed a director of a highly regarded boutique financial planning firm in Brisbane called Ellwood Barry McPherson, which later became a founding member of SFG Australia. He moved to London in 2011 to join Dimensional.

David holds a Bachelor of Business from Queensland University of Technology and the Diploma of Financial Planning from Deakin University and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors diploma course. David has chaired industry committees and participated in numerous projects and panels regarding advice, investments, communication, and practice management. He has also been invited to speak internationally by universities, industry bodies, and external groups.

Kate is an experienced FCA Head of Department with significant Enforcement, Supervision and Transformation experience. She currently heads up the Consumer Investments Supervision Department responsible for Investment Platforms, SIPP Operators, P2P, Crowdfunders and Proactive teams working on Ongoing Advice Services, Complex ETPs, Trading Apps, Retirement Income and Financial Crime. She previously led a Retail Enforcement Department, investigating some of the FCA’s most high-profile complex cases. She also set-up the FCA Interventions Team, developed the FCA’s Financial Promotions Strategy and was responsible for all Retail Enforcement referrals from Supervision. Prior to joining the FCA in 2010 Kate was a lawyer specialising in financial services litigation in private practice.

I have been an outsourced Paraplanner for over 14 years’ experience, founding Core Financial Paraplanning Limited in 2011.

I was honoured to be named Director of the Year at the 2023 Yorkshire Financial Awards and Team Leader of the Year at the 2024 Professional Paraplanner Awards—recognition that means a great deal to me and my team.

I joined the PFS Paraplanning Panel in 2023 as I felt that I had so much to say on the subject.  I have always felt that empowering new paraplanners was of the upmost importance, especially in the outsourced space, and as such, I have been involved in creating the PFS Guide to Paraplanning.  

For me, an important part of being on the panel is that I get to work with people who push me (in the best way) but also motivate me to be a better Paraplanner.  It has also allowed me to be involved in some great initiatives such as the Purely Paraplanning conferences

Charlotte transitioned into financial advice during maternity leave and the Covid lockdown, following a decade-long career lecturing in undergraduate Equine Science and postgraduate teacher training. She officially launched her own financial planning business in January 2022.

Since then, Charlotte has received national recognition, including winning FT Adviser Rising Star of the Year 2025 and being named Highly Commended Wealth Manager of the Year at the Investment Week Women in Investment Awards 2024. She has also had an article published in FT Adviser examining gender bias when selecting a financial adviser and has provided expert commentary for The Telegraph and Money Marketing.

Changing career proved to be one of the best decisions she has made. She draws on the skills and experience gained from her lecturing career, alongside the knowledge acquired through her MSc in Education. Her mission is to make financial advice more accessible, relatable and empowering, particularly for women, families and business owners. Charlotte is passionate about helping clients feel confident, informed and in control of their financial futures. Witnessing clients gain clarity and confidence through financial planning is one of the most rewarding aspects of her work.

Charlotte is a strong advocate for encouraging more young women to join the financial services profession and for inspiring more working mothers to take the leap into running their own businesses, both within and beyond the finance sector.

She uses social media, particularly Instagram, creatively to connect with people who may never have considered seeking financial advice before, breaking down jargon and challenging stereotypes in a human, engaging and inclusive way. Operating remotely enables her to work with clients across the UK, offering a flexible, modern approach that resonates especially well with younger generations.Charlotte is currently growing her family alongside her business, having welcomed a baby girl last September and raising a six-year-old son. She is honoured to have been invited to join the panel at the PFS Conference 2026.

Director West Financial Management Co Ltd. 21 years ago. 36 years experience in the financial planning business.  Has passion for helping clients with wealth succession planning, enabling assets to transfer to the next generation tax efficiently.

Rotary
Trustee at Mutley Baptist church 
Million Dollar Round Table 27 

With 20 years experience in financial services, Alan is committed to seeing financial planning develop as a trusted profession.  After working as both a Paraplanner and Compliance and Money Laundering Reporting Officer, Alan set up Unburdened Limited in 2019 to spread knowledge, ideas and know-how that changes financial planning for the better.

Alan is a Chartered Financial Planner and Fellow of the Personal Finance Society. A firm believer in the value professional bodies working together, Alan is also a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investments and a member of both the Chartered Banker Institute and CFA UK.  Alan has previously served as the President, Education Secretary and Careers Officer of the Aberdeen Institute of Insurance and Financial Services, as the Chair of the PFS North Scotland Region, as a CII National Forum Officer for Scotland, and as a member of the PFS Sustainability Panel.

A great believer in lifelong learning, Alan holds an MSc in Financial Planning and Business Management and was awarded a PhD by Manchester Metropolitan University in February 2025. The subject of his thesis was how reference points, frames and framing influence investment decision-making in advised Impact Investing. His continued research interests are primarily in the fields of applied ethics in a financial services context, sustainable and responsible investing, and what motivates people to invest. Alan also holds specialist qualifications in Impact Investing, Green Finance, Climate Risk, Investment Management, Financial Crime and Risk Management.

Having worked with both the Scottish Government Rural Communities Division and with a private welfare-to-work service operator, Alan is passionate about social sustainability and how financial planning can be a force for good: He is a committed advocate for the integration of sustainable and values-based approaches to investing.

In the academic world, Alan has both lectured and designed courses in financial planning at undergraduate level and sustainable finance at postgraduate level, as well as supervising undergraduate and postgraduate level dissertations. He holds an Associate Fellowship with Advance HE.

Alan is a regular contributor to Personal Financial Professional magazine on ethics and compliance issues and is a subject matter expert on financial planning compliance.  His first academic publication, concerning the challenges of carbon trading in Africa, was published in January 2026.

Rohit Vaish is co-founder of Saturn, helping financial advice firms use AI to improve how they work and serve more clients. He previously spent over five years at BNY Mellon, working in product across Europe, APAC and the Americas. He draws on this experience to understand firms’ challenges and build technology that delivers measurable results.

Laurentius van den Worm joined the Timeline Investment team in January 2022 after moving to the United Kingdom from South Africa. He serves as an investment strategist that oversees the fund research and selection, asset allocation and portfolio construction functions in collaboration with the CIO.

Laurentius has seven years of experience in the South African investment markets.  In his previous role, he served as an investment analyst and financial consultant in the wealth management industry in South Africa, where he gained experience in various financial activities, including portfolio management, investment research, financial analysis, and wealth management.

Laurentius holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Investment Management and a post-graduate diploma in financial planning from Stellenbosch University. He Obtained his CFP® designation in South Africa in 2017 and is CFA Level 3 qualified in the UK.