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Family Owned Firm Established in 1919

Looking After Personal And Business Financial Planning

About us

At Arena, we develop long lasting relationships with our clients and are here to advise and consult those clients appropriately. With the right investment for the right individual, we excel our client’s expectations and are focused professionals, delivering quality results for our clients.
Our investment firm has decades of experience behind its ethos and principles. Stephen Penrose, our managing director bought the company in 1995 and has developed the firm himself into the business it is today.

As independent advisors we are committed to our clients 100% and are free from external control and constraint. we are not influenced by any decision but our own.

Meet the team

Stephen Penrose
Stephen enjoys walking and has been trekking in both Peru and Nepal. He has two sons who he is finding increasingly difficult to drag to Preston North End!

Stephen Penrose

Managing Director

As Managing Director, Stephen provides the most specialised advice within the company and has ensured he has progressed with the advanced exams to be able to do this.

Mark McMahon
He is married with two children and is a keen sports enthusiast. He cycles 12 miles to work and back every day and has recently been trekking in Borneo to see the Orangutans!

Mark McMahon

Office manager

Mark has been with Arena since Stephen purchased the business in 1995 and subsequently has invaluable knowledge and a strong rapport with Arena’s clients.

Sarah Iqbal
Outside of work, Sarah has many interests, mainly hiking. Sarah recently succeeded in summiting the world’s highest freestanding mountain, Kilimanjaro!

Sarah Iqbal

Chartered Financial Planner

Sarah has over ten years’ experience in the financial services industry and she joined Arena in 2025.

Jacob Broadbent
Something of an outdoorsman, Jacob often takes his camper van around the country (if not further!) to go on new hikes.

Jacob Broadbent

Independent Financial Adviser / Paraplanner

Jacob studied Economics at university until graduating in 2017. Since then he has been working in the financial services industry and joined Arena in 2023.

Andy Armstrong

Andy is a keen musician and loves bands like Pink Floyd and Manic Street Preachers. When he’s not playing the guitar he can often be found on Deepdale cheering on Preston North End.

Andy Armstrong

Paraplanner

Andy is the newest member of the team having joined in April 2024.

Edward Penrose

Edward is an avid reader, movie goer and traveller. In recent years he has visited Tokyo, New York and Hong Kong.

Edward Penrose

Paraplanner

Edward joined Arena in September 2016 and has been working alongside the administrative staff while he takes his exams.

Katarzyna Pres
Having moved to Preston from Manchester 11 years ago, Kasia is fully settled and the only multi-lingual member of the office.

Katarzyna Pres

Compliance Supervisor

Known as Kasia, she joined Arena having previously worked in debt management and insolvency. Kasia quickly settled in to her role within a new industry to become an important member of the team.

LOOKING AFTER PERSONAL AND BUSINESS FINANCIAL PLANNING

When we say our service is first class, we mean it

At Arena we charge for the service we provide, not for the products we sell. We agree service levels with our clients so our work is transparent. When we say our service is first class, we mean it, it’s one of the main reasons why clients stay with us.
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We work with your professional advisors

We are happy to work with your other professional advisors, such as your accountant and solicitor. We understand that on a personal or business level it is this approach which really makes the difference to your financial planning.

WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT USWhat we do

Our Fees

Each client relationship is unique and so each fee agreement is different. It varies on the breadth of advice required, which dictates the amount of work needed. We will always give you an initial indication of fees, which will include a maximum charge.

Capping our initial fees provides you with certainty we are providing value for money. Typically, our initial fees range between 1% and 3% dependent upon the work involved.
Our initial meeting is at no cost to yourself and is without any obligation. At this meeting we will be able to give you a detailed fee estimate.
Our annual fees range between 0.5% and 1%, dependent upon the value and complexity of your arrangements.