We’ve launched the Foster Perspectives newsletter to share a few of the conversations that have shaped our thinking. Each edition includes a curated excerpt from trusted sources—starting with our ongoing partnership with Canadian Family Offices, and eventually others we admire—alongside reflections from our own team.
Every family office is shaped by the people behind it. In the excerpt below, our CEO Christopher Foster, ICD.D shares his perspective on what it means to run a truly client-aligned family office — from a recent interview with Canadian Family Offices.
The term “family office” gets used a lot — sometimes as a status symbol, sometimes as a service category. But for us at Foster, the meaning is more personal. It’s also an approach that grew from a personal conviction that Canadian families deserve better than the transactional model of wealth management.
That conviction goes back to 1994, when our founder, Briar Foster, walked away from Bay Street to build the kind of firm he wished existed: one free from sales pressure, one that put clients ahead of product. Thirty years later, that same belief drives our work. It’s what led Christopher Foster to join the firm his father started — and to shape Foster Family Office into what it is today.
“There was a high level of disgust on his part with the way wealth was practiced in the 1990s… The idea that dealers owed their clients a duty of care was still a bit foreign. For my father, someone wanting to do the right thing for his clients… it was depressing to have your own firm leaning on you all the time to sell their own products to your clients.” — Christopher Foster
In this recent interview with Canadian Family Offices, Christopher shares why his family’s money became the founding client of the Foster Family Office Group — and why putting your own capital on the line matters more than ever in a world where conflicts of interest still persist.
“It’s not a client problem, it’s an ‘all of us’ problem… Everyone pays the same fee…To me, that’s what family office investing is all about.” — Christopher Foster
The article explores:
- Why fiduciary duty is “table stakes” — and what it actually means in practice
- How the Foster team shifted away from stock-picking toward disciplined asset allocation and alternatives oversight
- The growing complexity of multigenerational wealth — and what’s needed to support it well
It also shares a candid view on the future: succession planning, upskilling staff, and making sure Foster remains a stable partner for decades to come.
“My ambition is for our family office group to become the natural home for multigenerational money in Canada… We want the firm’s name to be equated with unquestionable stability and scrupulous ethical conduct.” — Christopher Foster
If you’ve ever wondered what really defines a family office — beyond the labels — we think this piece offers a thoughtful perspective.
Read the full article at Canadian Family Offices
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Excerpt republished with permission. Originally written by Mary Teresa Bitti for Canadian Family Offices, April 28, 2025
Disclaimer: This article is for general information purposes only, and is not legal, financial, or tax planning advice. Everyone’s situation is unique, and this article cannot apply to every person. The reader should not take any action, or refrain from taking any action, as a result of this article without first obtaining legal or professional advice.
