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AES is at the vanguard of a profound shift in financial services.

This is about helping you achieve a better future through a purposely different approach.

- Only CEFEX certified Fiduciary within Asia, the Middle East and Africa (AMEA)

- Only member of Global Association of Independent Advisors (GAIA) within AMEA

- Only fee-based planning firm within the GCC

- 1st international specialist within the UK to obtain Corporate Chartered status

- 1st US-style, global Registered Investment Adviser (RIA) within AMEA

Welcome to better.

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Sam on a horse our story page

Our story

 

As far back as he remembers, our founder Sam, wanted to serve and protect.  

After graduating, he commissioned from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst into the British Army.

Sam loved the military, and its strong values built around getting the best from and for others.

He ended up protecting The Queen at Buckingham Palace.

This is him (in red).

The existence of a parallel industry

On starting a family, Sam left the Army and joined a traditional 'wealth manager'.  Gone were the core values, sense of duty and service.

He quickly learnt self-interested firms and conflicted salespeople couldn’t be trusted. 

So he resolved to create a new way to help people make important decisions.

“Science, education and integrity would be our weapons to help people get better results.”

On a beautiful spring afternoon, way back when in 2004, AES International was born.

At first, it was just one man and an idea.

But within a few months, other military veterans joined. 

AES initially focused on helping veterans...  But over time, they discovered more about a global financial services industry intent upon rewarding itself, not clients.

Banks, fund companies, asset managers, insurance companies and salespeople created and vended products designed to confuse. 

Opaque, expensive, inflexible products, proven not to work.

Spotting an opportunity to help those who didn’t know who to trust, they decided to challenge the status quo. 

To transform this outdated industry and pioneer the creation of an international profession.

Their mission became; to create 'Positive Change' for their clients and their profession.

Awards and recognition

By 2012, AES was the 4th fastest growing business in Britain, a top 50 financial firm by size and had won many accolades. 

Richard Branson, Barclays Bank, Ernst and Young all awarded them.

The Economist Magazine called Sam ‘The Field Marshal of Finance'. 

The team now numbered in the hundreds and AES held over 67 licences worldwide.

But something wasn't right.

AES International awarded the International Adviser's best practice adviser award.

Many professions were rapidly changing

Standards were being raised, practices refined, options were improving.  But international financial services was systemically broken and the industry wasn't adaptable. 

AES wanted to be at the vanguard of the profession.  But 'traditional' advisers resisted the introduction of higher standards.  Insurance and investment product providers resisted any form of change.

Even clients often didn’t understand far better options had now become available. 

A battle commenced, between a self-interested financial services industry of the past and believers in the creation of a future profession.

It was a fight between the last generation and the next, mercenaries and missionaries, and firms that want to be big rather than the best.

When change came, it was painful because it meant dramatic cuts.

AES said farewell to colleagues who wouldn’t embrace new ways to help get clients better results.

And explained why we believed past products and practices were going out of date.

The making of AES International

Despite the challenges, this period proved our making.

Helping pivot us from big to best, follower to leader and accepted practice to best practice.

Ultimately helping clients get better results than had ever been available before. 

To feel loved, empowered, confident and in control.

Three transformative promises

Challenge

Challenge the status quo

To challenge the ‘traditional industry’ - committing to thinking, acting and advising entirely differently.

Scientifically proven better results

Better

To focus on getting 'better.' Internally and externally to embrace scientific evidence not sales or spin.

Education and knowledge

Teach

To educate and inform, sharing our wisdom and expertise to fuel change and grow our profession.

From adviser to educator

Through an unrelenting focus on best practice, large corporates and ultra-wealthy clients approached us.

Our UK business became the first and only Corporate Chartered Financial Planner devoted to helping international clients. 

Our international business the first and only independently certified fiduciary in the Asia, Middle East and Africa region. And the first fee-based and evidence-based planner within the Middle East.

By sharing our expertise and processes online, AES gained more traffic, more followers and more enquiries than ever before. Like mobile phones, many traditional products are now hopelessly out of date.  Superseded by better options.

Knowing there is better way, we embraced simplicity, flexibility and transparency. Even billionaires like Leicester City Football Clubs much loved and sadly missed owner, Vichai entrusted us.

From adviser to educator

The British Army motto is 'be the best'

Even as times have changed and our firm has evolved, our core purpose has remained clear: we help people make good decisions.

We create positive change.

This military motto encapsulates our vision since inception.

A modern business based upon traditional values.

Relentlessly focused on getting the best for others.

Today, we aspire to deliver more value and more care.

Offering a trusted, problem solving, possibility capturing partnership committed to making you healthy, wealthy and wise.

And we’re still just getting started.

 Believe in better.

LEARN MORE ABOUT US

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We'll call, learn about you and help you decide if we're a good fit. It's that easy.

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