I think a lot of this is psychology. People are so terrified of making a wrong decision they would rather make no decision at all and instead get an "expert" to do it for them. They will then continue to trust said "expert" because to do otherwise would make them face up to the fact that they should never have listened to him in the first place! Financial salesmen know this- they wouldn't be very good salesmen if they didn't know a little bit about how the human mind works.
Our Swedish friend is terrified what his wife might think if he makes an investment decision and it turns out to be wrong. (I'm sure salesmen are very good at playing this up as well.) Some of the investment decisions you make will be wrong but that applies to your financial salesman friend as well. And, SwedenInDubai, if I was your wife I would be busting your balls now for abdicating all responsibility for your family's financial future to somebody you have only just met. Even if he does do a good Powerpoint presentation!
Anyway, whatever you decide to do, good luck, but don't say we didn't warn you!