Meet the Team

Steve Conley is a Chartered Financial Planner, entrepreneur, and thought leader in financial planning, consumer empowerment, and financial system integrity.

He is the Founder of the Academy of Life Planning, a global movement dedicated to restoring human agency in financial planning through holistic wealth planning, education, and professional development. He is also the Founder of Get SAFE (Support After Financial Exploitation), a charitable initiative providing structured, trauma-informed support to individuals affected by financial harm.

Steve serves on the Advisory Group of the Transparency Task Force (TTF) and is an Ambassador for the organisation’s global campaign to promote greater transparency, accountability, and trust within financial services. In recognition of his contribution to advancing trust and integrity across the sector, he was awarded the Transparency Trophy in 2017.

As part of his work with the Transparency Task Force, Steve led the 2017 Codes of Conduct Review, examining more than 70 professional bodies, trade associations, standards boards, and industry organisations across the UK financial services sector. The findings helped inform wider discussions around professional standards, market conduct, and financial stability.

Prior to establishing the Academy of Life Planning, Steve held a number of senior leadership positions within the UK banking sector. These included serving as Head of Investments within HSBC Bank plc’s UK Retail Investment Business between 2008 and 2011, alongside senior roles at RBS Group and Santander.

Throughout his career, Steve has contributed to industry development and governance initiatives, including serving as Chair of the British Bankers’ Association Bancassurance Steering Group. He currently holds a portfolio of directorships and advisory roles within values-based organisations focused on transparency, accountability, consumer protection, and financial resilience.

Steve is the author of Your Money or Your Life: Unmask the Highway Robbers – Enjoy Wealth in Every Area of Your Life, a book that challenges conventional approaches to wealth and encourages a broader understanding of financial well-being.



His work today spans professional education, consumer empowerment, financial recovery support, and the development of innovative tools and frameworks designed to help individuals, families, and organisations make better decisions in an increasingly complex world.