Meet the team

FundCalibre uses AlphaQuest, a proprietary quantitative screening tool, which analyses fund and market data. It then combines these results with hands on, interview-led fund research, to award its Elite Rating.

FundCalibre is an appointed representative of Chelsea Financial Services and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Darius McDermott, Managing Director

Darius studied at the University of Birmingham, graduating with a BSc (Hons) in Chemistry. He has clocked up more than twenty years within the financial services industry, all of which have been spent with Chelsea Financial Services where he’s been managing director since February 2000. He became managing director of FundCalibre at its launch in 2013. Darius is regularly quoted in both national newspapers and more specialist financial publications and is the lead investment manager to a range of multi-asset funds. Outside work (almost literally, as our office is a stone’s throw from the stadium) Darius is a dedicated Chelsea season ticket holder. When not at a match, Darius can be found entertaining his two children.

Juliet Schooling Latter, Research Director

Juliet has a degree in economics from University College London. Together with Darius, she came up with the concept of FundCalibre and was instrumental in its launch. She has worked at Chelsea Financial Services for around 20 years and has been head of research there since 2013. Juliet provides regular commentary to the trade and national press. She is also part of a four strong team of investment managers to a range of multi-asset funds. Out of the office, Juliet can be found playing with her three daughters.

James Yardley, Senior Research Analyst

James has a BA in War Studies from King’s College London and is a CFA charterholder. He started his career conducting equity research for the institutional brokerage firm Redburn before joining Chelsea Financial Services. James has worked for FundCalibre since launch and won Investment Week’s ‘Trailblazer’ Award in 2019. James is an investment manager to a range of multi-asset funds and is passionate about improving financial education and encouraging more people to save. At university he was a keen chess and poker player and now spends his free time with his three children.

Staci West, Operations & Marketing Manager

Staci graduated with a MA (Hons) in International Security from the University of Westminster after completing a BA in Criminal Justice and Criminology, focusing on gender injustices. Before joining FundCalibre, Staci worked for three years as a business manager. Staci has a dual role: she is responsible for the day to day running of FundCalibre, as well as overseeing our branded content and social media. Staci won ‘Marketing Influencer of the Year – Highly Commended’ at the 2021 ‘Women in Investments Awards’. After a year of research and writing, Staci launched out free Demystifying Investments course for beginners in November 2023. In her spare time Staci is an active advocate of dog rescues and regularly fosters dogs as well as owning two of her own.

Chris Salih, Head of Multi-Asset and Investment Trust Research

Chris has a dual role: he is responsible for investment trust and multi-asset fund research and helps to write the investment content we share on the website. His career in financial services began as a journalist for Incisive Media, writing for its multi-manager publication between 2005 and 2007. He then joined Money Marketing and won ‘Headlinemoney Investment Trade Journalist of the Year’ in 2008. More recently, Chris was senior research consultant at CoreData Research, managing a number of large projects for global asset managers. Chris is an avid football fan and can be found walking his dog in his free time.

Joss Murphy, Junior Research Analyst

Joss obtained a first-class MSc at Bayes Business School in 2021, having finished his bachelor studies at Bristol University the previous year. He also has passed the IMC and CFA Level 1. A natural contrarian, his role comprises of fund and investment trust research and interviewing managers of investment funds amongst other responsibilities. Outside of work, he is an avid follower of sports. He particularly loves going to the races and watching his beloved Arsenal.