Clients often ask how we invest our own ISAs. In many cases, we start in the same place we suggest for clients: the VT Chelsea Managed Funds. These diversified portfolios form the core of many of our own investments, providing broad exposure and professional oversight.
That said, investing is rarely one-size-fits-all. We’re also strong believers in the core–satellite approach; using a well-diversified core as the foundation, while leaving room for a few additional holdings around the edges. For some, that might mean a specific region, sector or theme they believe in. For others, it’s simply a way to add a little extra flavour to a portfolio.
Please remember that the value of investments will fluctuate and returns may be less than the amount originally invested. Tax treatment depends on your individual circumstances and tax rules can change. Chelsea does not offer advice and so if you are unsure of anything please contact an expert adviser.
So while the core may look familiar, the satellites often reflect personal interests, views and long-term convictions. Here’s how a few members of the Chelsea team approach their own ISAs.
Juliet Schooling Latter, Research Director
Juliet has been considering how market leadership may evolve after a year dominated by large-caps. As she explains, “2025 was a year dominated by mega-cap companies, with AI exposure driving much of the performance across global markets.” However, she believes the environment may be shifting.
With that in mind, she has added to the M&G Japan Smaller Companies fund. The team’s philosophy centres on leveraging deep regional expertise and analytical breadth to uncover attractive opportunities. Juliet sees the fund as “a strong consideration for anyone looking for Japanese smaller companies exposure,” particularly if market leadership broadens.
Alex Shooter, Operations Consultant
For Alex, one of the defining holdings in his ISA has been the WS Blue Whale Growth fund. Having first invested around eight years ago, he notes that it has delivered “a remarkable run,” with growth of more than 230% over that period*.
Managed by Stephen Yiu, the fund focuses on a concentrated portfolio of high-quality global businesses with strong competitive advantage and long-term growth potential. Many of the holdings sit at the heart of structural trends, particularly the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence.
As Alex puts it, “that concentrated approach means each position can meaningfully impact returns,” adding to the appeal of the strategy. For him, it remains “a compelling way to gain exposure to some of the world’s most innovative companies through a single active manager.”
Evie Talbot, Operations Consultant
Evie began investing in her Stocks and Shares ISA more recently, describing how working at Chelsea “gave me the impetus to do so.” She started with the VT Chelsea Managed Aggressive Growth fund as a core holding before adding the Chikara Indian Subcontinent fund as a satellite position.
Evie highlights India’s impressive economic progress, noting that, despite shorter-term underperformance, “increased domestic stability and political reforms suggest that now may be the perfect time to invest.” With India having recently surpassed Japan to become the world’s fourth-largest economy, she views the long-term growth prospects as highly attractive. The fund’s index-agnostic, high active-share approach allows it to scour the Indian market for idiosyncratic opportunities, backed by an experienced team positioned to seek compelling long-term returns.
James Evans, Operations Consultant
For James, the past year has demonstrated the value of having exposure to precious metals through the Jupiter Gold & Silver fund. Reflecting on performance, he notes that “every cloud has a silver lining,” pointing to the fund’s strong run, having returned over 130% over the past year**.
He highlights the growing industrial use of silver, alongside rising demand and tightening stockpiles, as well as the potential benefits for miners from higher gold and silver prices. James also observes that if energy costs ease, it could provide further support to margins.
In addition, the fund’s use of physical holdings via Sprott Asset Management is viewed as an important feature, particularly “in the event of a paper derivatives crisis.”
Darius McDermott, Managing Director
Finally, Darius also sees potential in smaller companies, describing them as a natural “anti-AI” trade as investors search for alternative sources of growth. He notes that it would not require much capital movement to make a meaningful difference in this segment of the market. To illustrate the scale, he highlights that the total market capitalisation of the FTSE Small-Cap index is around £100 billion***, a fraction of the size of large technology leaders such as NVIDIA.
Against a backdrop of lower interest rates and potentially higher fiscal spending, Darius believes smaller companies could be well positioned for renewed momentum. Reflecting this view, he holds the Liontrust UK Micro Cap fund within his own ISA, suggesting that “smaller companies should be a happier hunting ground in 2026.”
