About Callidus

An Edinburgh-based financial planning practice built on expertise, integrity, and doing the right thing by our clients.

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How we got here

Callidus was founded in 2013 by Graeme after 15 years at Standard Life.

What started as a one-person practice has grown into a boutique firm serving around 100 households. But growth has never been about size – it’s been about doing this work the right way.

From the beginning, Graeme was drawn to ‘full fat financial planning’ – the kind that starts with understanding people’s lives, not selling products. Over the years, that philosophy has only deepened. We’ve questioned conventional industry practices, changed our investment approach when the evidence demanded it, and always put client outcomes above easy revenue.

Today, we’re still small by design. We’re still deeply personal. We still know every client well. And as we bring on new team members, we’re committed to maintaining that boutique feel and high-touch service.

What we believe

  • Icon of a piggy bank with a pound sterling coin in front.

    Your money must have a purpose – either to support your lifestyle or help the people you love.

  • A line chart with a green circle border showing multiple data points, a line with an upward trend, and a background with a light gradient.

    Nobody can predict what markets will do – including us. We plan for uncertainty, not performance promises.

  • Outline of a trophy cup in the center of a green circle on a light green gradient background.

    We only succeed when you’re better off for having met us.

  • A graphic of a laurel wreath inside a circle on a light green gradient background.

    We’d rather lose a client by being honest than keep one by staying quiet.

Man walking on a dirt trail through open fields under a partly cloudy sky.

Why Callidus?

Callidus is Latin for ‘skillful,’ ‘expert,’ and ‘experienced.’

Graeme chose it when looking for something that conveyed expertise without sounding corporate or impersonal. The truth is that most people don’t know how to pronounce it! And that’s fine – what matters is whether we can help you, not whether you can say our name perfectly. (It’s CAL-id-us, by the way!).

Meet the team

Graeme Cuthbertson
Chartered Financial Planner

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Headshot of smiling middle-aged man with short, grayish hair, wearing a dark blazer and white checkered shirt.

Suzanne Chetwynd
Office Manager

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Two elderly people, a man wearing a yellow sweater and a woman wearing a gray knit sweater and a brown beanie, enjoy walking together in a sunlit forest.

Why we’re different

  • We charge a percentage of assets under advice – a straightforward, transparent approach with no hidden costs

  • We care about making a positive difference in the lives of our clients – our measure of success is that you’re genuinely better off for having worked with us

  • We don’t use risk questionnaires – we build plans around your life circumstances

  • We’re evidence-based investors who don’t believe in active management or market timing

  • We’ll only take you on as a client if we’re confident we’re the right fit – and if we’re not, we’ll guide you towards someone who is

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If you’d like to know more…

The best way to understand if we’re right for you is to meet us. Contact us to book a call and let’s chat.

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