The person behind the plan.

Oliver Foster

Oliver Foster's career in financial services began with a single piece of advice that he still credits today. Having been accepted onto a Chemistry degree, it was his uncle — himself a financial adviser — who suggested he consider Economics instead. Oliver listened, switched subjects, and graduated in Economics in 2006. It proved to be the first of many conversations with his uncle that would shape his career.

After graduating, Oliver began his training at his uncle's private family firm, learning the fundamentals of advice in a traditional, relationship-led environment. Keen to broaden his experience as a young adviser, he moved to London for two years before returning to his native Yorkshire. From 2012 to 2017, he worked as a self-employed IFA with a national firm, building a client base and refining the approach that would eventually define his own company.

In November 2017, Oliver founded Aries Wealth Management Limited, with the firm authorised and regulated directly by the Financial Conduct Authority. The decision to strike out on his own was driven by conviction as much as ambition. Over the years, Oliver had witnessed parts of the industry where client outcomes came second to product sales — and he wanted to build a firm where that was never the case.

“My role is that of an educator, not a salesperson. I want every client to understand exactly what they're doing and why. If a client walks away uncertain about the advice they've received, I haven't done my job.”

A fully qualified member of the Chartered Insurance Institute, Oliver specialises in pensions, retirement planning, investments, and Inheritance Tax planning. He advises clients across the full retirement journey — from those building long-term wealth to those navigating at-retirement decisions such as annuities, income drawdown, and blended strategies. He uses leading industry tools, including Defaqto Engage, Selectapension, and CashCalc, to ensure that every recommendation is genuinely tailored to the individual.

Mountains, mastiffs, and the occasional volcano.

Oliver lives in rural North Yorkshire with his Canadian wife and their two dogs, a cavapoo and a Tibetan Mastiff. He is a lifelong adventure enthusiast, and can often be found riding the steep mountain bike trails at Kilburn or travelling further afield to Scotland, Wales, and the Alps in search of bigger descents. He is also a keen snowboarder, hiker, and passionate scuba diver.

Oliver regularly sets himself endurance challenges to raise money for charity, most recently completing the Yorkshire Three Peaks twice within 24 hours. He is currently planning his next fundraising adventure. He and his wife share a love of travel to off-the-beaten-track destinations, and he celebrated his 40th birthday last year by diving the Great Blue Hole in Belize and hiking Volcán de Acatenango in Guatemala with his wife and friends.

More recently, Oliver has rekindled a childhood interest in computer coding and follows developments in artificial intelligence with genuine fascination — a reminder that, for him, learning has never been confined to the world of finance.

Qualifications