About
Meet the team
Free Video Series
3 steps to your family’s long term wealth strategy – wealth management training for family businesses
Being a small team means we’re able to provide a truly agile, independent service.
But it’s not just our professional expertise that you can count on. Each of us brings a wealth of personal experience to the table, which provides you with holistic financial advice that’s built on our shared values and goals.
Joe Stephan
DIRECTOR, INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL ADVISOR
Joe is passionate about providing our clients with exceptional financial advice, ensuring that Stephan Independent Advisory are able to guide you through your unique and complex wealth management issues, and avoid the challenges often involved with handing the baton over to the next generation.
A CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional with a Bachelor Business (Financial Planning) (with distinction), Joe has been providing financial advice to family business for over 10 years. Joe’s role is to make sure that you completely understand your financial plan so you can make smarter, more informed decisions for your wealth; his focus is on your education and ongoing guidance in all financial matters relating to your family.
Joe’s experience seeing clients transition from working life to retirement has ensured that he keeps up his passions outside of work, too. A keen guitarist, Joe loves to travel, cook for friends, and watch the Bombers play.
James Stephan
DIRECTOR, INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL ADVISOR
Every team needs a stats man and for us, it’s James. He has the patience to undertake extensive research and the skill to use it wisely.
To James, wealth management isn’t just about managing money; it’s about helping families to navigate the complexities of their affairs and ensuring they achieve the life they envisage for themselves, now and into retirement—and for their children.
With more than 10 years’ experience in the financial world, James’ focus is on the technical advisory side of the business. A CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional with a Bachelor Business (Financial Planning) (with distinction), there’s nothing he loves more than fine-tuning the in-depth details of your financial strategy. From complex superannuation strategies to long-term tax planning, James’s aim is to navigate our clients through the intricacies of their individual situations and help you to achieve the goals that are most important to you.
Leading a balanced life is important for James. Outside of work, family is the most important thing to him, and he loves spending time with his wife, Ilona, and three young children, Julian, Jacob & Sofia. When not spending time with his family he has a passion for staying fit and healthy, and is actively involved in regular outdoor exercise circuits and resistance-based training.
Sandra Phillips
CLIENT SERVICES MANAGER
Every operation needs a professional who ensures the all wheels are turning in the same direction. For Stephan Independent Advisory, Sandra is that driving force. Across the business she ensures everything is in order—from her desk, to our plans.
When important information is required, Sandra ensures it’s received. She creates the necessary structure for every task to make sure that every step of your plan is completed on time, and to your exact needs.
Sandra is passionate about her role and vows to never stop learning better and more efficient ways to perform her role and work with our clients.
Outside of the office she loves spending time with her husband, two children, and her extended family. She keeps busy watching her kids play sport, taking yoga and massage classes with her friends, and walking her dog, Digger. She’s also a passionate AFL supporter, attending as many games as possible with her family to watch the North Melbourne Kangaroos.
Rose Cuyos
ADVICE SUPPORT
Much of what makes great financial advice possible happens behind the scenes, and at Stephan Independent Advisory, Rose plays an integral role in keeping our processes running seamlessly.
As part of the Advice Support team, Rose works closely with Joe and James to support the preparation, coordination and quality control of advice documentation. Her focus is on accuracy, organisation and efficiency, ensuring every piece of information is clear, complete and delivered to a consistently high standard.
With a Bachelor of Science in Financial Management from the University of San Jose-Recoletos, Rose brings a strong foundation in financial reporting and data management to her role. Her background across credit, collections and customer service environments has shaped her detail-driven, proactive approach, and she is known for her reliability and meticulous attention to detail.
A full-time member of the Stephan Independent Advisory team, Rose takes pride in contributing to positive outcomes for our clients. Outside of work, she enjoys discovering new coffee shops and pastries, unwinding at yoga and taking part in fun runs. She also loves travelling, describing the experience of visiting new places as her personal form of therapy.
Joe & James’ professional practice is to be admired. They are always there for their clients when needed. They freely pass on their expert knowledge without hard product selling techniques.
DR. ELSPETH MCKAY
Professor
