On 19th May 2025, the financial planning profession witnessed a pivotal moment. Two respected leaders, Daniel Williams and Ben Wright, resigned from the board of the Personal Finance Society (PFS). Their departures weren’t driven by policy differences or personal ambitions, but by a deeper disillusionment: a lack of independence, blurred governance, and an increasing disconnect between the organisation’s leadership and the members it was meant to serve.
“It is my view that a strong and modern professional body must be equipped to challenge, to think independently, and to act without disproportionate influence…”
— Daniel Williams
Their resignations echo a growing sentiment within the profession—one of institutional drift, a weakening of transparency, and a slide toward consolidation rather than empowerment.
But what if this is not the end of something, but the start?
A Fork in the Road
As traditional structures strain under the weight of outdated governance, something else is stirring—something more agile, democratic, and purpose-driven.
At the Academy of Life Planning (AoLP), we have long argued for a fundamental redefinition of what financial planning is, and who it is for. Our newly adopted Governance Charter enshrines this vision. By transitioning into a planner-owned cooperative, the AoLP is now independent of banks, insurers, and asset managers—and fully accountable to its professional members.
We are not just rebuilding trust. We are building a new structure altogether—one where planners co-own the movement, shape its direction, and deliver life planning that is ethical, holistic, and human-first.
Enter AI: A Disruption with a Soul
Alongside the structural shake-up in our institutions, a second revolution is already here: the rise of AI-led, always-on, contextual planning. As Dan Haylett recently captured in his viral post, AI will automate the mechanics of advice—cash flow modelling, tax calculations, scenario simulations—and do so in real-time.
But this doesn’t displace planners. It liberates them.
“The future planner will have to be:
👉 A meaning-maker
👉 A story-framer
👉 A life architect…”
— Dan Haylett
We agree. The numbers are no longer the value. Meaning is.
The AoLP’s GAME Plan model—Goals, Actions, Means, Execution—was built precisely with this future in mind. AI can handle the Means; but only humans can guide the Why. The planner becomes a guide through life transitions, not just a broker of products. This philosophical shift demands a new professional identity—and a new professional home.
That’s what we’re building.
The Path Forward
While traditional institutions falter under misaligned interests, the Academy moves forward—powered by its members, protected by cooperative principles, and elevated by the transformational potential of AI.
Here’s what we’re doing right now:
- 🔧 Establishing a member-owned professional body that enshrines independence, ethical governance, and mutual benefit.
- 🧠 Supporting planners in mastering AI partnership, not competition.
- 🌍 Offering a globally recognised, diploma-based framework in holistic life planning.
- 💡 Championing financial planning for people, not products.
If the events at the PFS reveal anything, it is this: we need a new professional home—one rooted in trust, shared ownership, and transformative purpose.
The future isn’t coming. It’s already here.
Let’s choose to lead it.
Your Money or Your Life
Unmask the highway robbers – Enjoy wealth in every area of your life!
By Steve Conley. Available on Amazon. Visit www.steve.conley.co.uk to find out more.
Academy of Life Planning 