Direct Market Touch Limited
Direct Market Touch Limited (FRN 490521, Company No. 06731780) was a London-based investment firm regulated by the FCA. The firm was declared in default by the FSCS in late 2020 after an investigation identified serious regulatory breaches in the way it managed client investments.
Investigators identified a pattern of concern at Direct Market Touch: the firm had placed a high concentration of transactions into a small number of companies whose directors were connected to each other. This raised significant concerns about conflicts of interest and whether clients’ money was being managed independently and in their best interests. Those concerns were brought to the attention of the FSCS by independent investigators who had been examining the firm since 2019.
The FSCS legal team reviewed the firm’s activities thoroughly before concluding its investigation in November 2020 and declaring the firm in default. Clients who suffered losses as a result of Direct Market Touch’s conduct may be eligible for FSCS compensation.
Issues / Why You May Have a Claim
Investment managers have a fundamental obligation to manage client money independently, in a way that is free from undisclosed conflicts of interest. Where investments are concentrated into companies with connected directors, and where clients are not told about those connections, this represents a serious breach of the trust placed in a regulated firm. Former clients of Direct Market Touch who lost money may have a valid claim.
Company background (public record)
The company was incorporated at Companies House on 23 October 2008 under company number 06731780. Its status at Companies House is recorded as dissolved.
Registered office: Mountview Court 1148 High Road, Whetstone, London, N20 0RA.
Nature of business (SIC): 66120.
Company timeline (public record)
Key dated events for this firm, drawn from public records. Each entry shows its source.
| Date | Event | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 23 Oct 2008 | Company incorporated | Companies House |
| 23 Oct 2008 | Antony Ring-Davis Charalambous appointed director | Companies House |
| 23 Oct 2008 | Peter Charalambous appointed director | Companies House |
| 23 Oct 2008 | Cpa Audit Corporate Services Limited appointed corporate-secretary | Companies House |
| 15 Jan 2009 | Antony Charlambous approved by the FCA at the firm | FCA Register |
| 15 Jan 2009 | Peter Charlambous approved by the FCA at the firm | FCA Register |
| 15 Jan 2009 | James Pepe approved by the FCA at the firm | FCA Register |
| 22 Oct 2009 | Antony Ring Davis Charalambous appointed secretary | Companies House |
| 22 Oct 2009 | Cpa Audit Corporate Services Limited resigned as corporate-secretary | Companies House |
| 04 Aug 2010 | Robert George Alan Whipple approved by the FCA at the firm | FCA Register |
| 20 Jun 2013 | Elliot stanley approved by the FCA at the firm | FCA Register |
| 03 Sep 2013 | Fidel Fatodu approved by the FCA at the firm | FCA Register |
| 03 Jan 2018 | Benjamin De Forest-Brown approved by the FCA at the firm | FCA Register |
| 03 Jan 2018 | Zain Cheema approved by the FCA at the firm | FCA Register |
| 04 Jan 2019 | Company wound up (creditors’ voluntary liquidation) | Companies House |
| 04 Jan 2019 | Insolvency practitioner appointed: Kikis Kallis | Companies House |
| 08 Nov 2019 | FSCS update: FSCS is currently accepting claims against DMT, although these haven't yet been passed to the claims teams for assessmen… | FSCS |
| 19 Dec 2019 | FSCS update: The FSCS investigation into the activities of Direct Market Touch (DMT) is ongoing | FSCS |
| 05 Feb 2020 | FSCS update: Investigations into whether DMT owes a civil liability to customers are ongoing | FSCS |
| 29 May 2020 | FSCS update: FSCS’s investigations into DMT are continuing | FSCS |
| 20 Aug 2020 | FSCS update: Our legal team is still looking at issues in connection with the trading activities DMT adopted | FSCS |
| 11 Nov 2020 | FSCS update: We've now finished investigating Direct Market Touch | FSCS |
| 26 Nov 2020 | Declared in default by the FSCS | FSCS |
| 10 Mar 2024 | FCA status recorded as: No longer authorised | FCA Register |
| 28 Apr 2025 | Company dissolved (creditors’ voluntary liquidation) | Companies House |
Who was involved?
The following individuals are listed on public records in connection with the firm. These are matters of public record only and their inclusion does not imply any wrongdoing by any named person.
- Antony Charlambous. Listed on the FCA Register as having held CF11 Money Laundering Reporting (15/01/2009 to 08/12/2019), CF10 Compliance Oversight (15/01/2009 to 08/12/2019), CF1 Director (15/01/2009 to 08/12/2019), SMF17 Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO) (09/12/2019 to 10/03/2024) at the firm.
- Peter Charlambous. Listed on the FCA Register as having held CF3 Chief Executive (15/01/2009 to 08/12/2019), CF1 Director (15/01/2009 to 08/12/2019), SMF3 Executive Director (09/12/2019 to 10/03/2024), SMF1 Chief Executive (09/12/2019 to 10/03/2024) at the firm.
- Benjamin De Forest-Brown. Listed on the FCA Register as having held CF30 Customer (03/01/2018 to 15/10/2018) at the firm.
- Zain Cheema. Listed on the FCA Register as having held CF30 Customer (03/01/2018 to 24/08/2018) at the firm.
- Elliot stanley. Listed on the FCA Register as having held CF30 Customer (20/06/2013 to 01/12/2018) at the firm.
- Robert George Alan Whipple. Listed on the FCA Register as having held CF30 Customer (04/08/2010 to 06/06/2013) at the firm.
- Fidel Fatodu. Listed on the FCA Register as having held CF30 Customer (03/09/2013 to 05/08/2015) at the firm.
- James Pepe. Listed on the FCA Register as having held CF30 Customer (15/01/2009 to 26/05/2010) at the firm.
- Antony Ring Davis Charalambous. Listed at Companies House as secretary (appointed 2009-10-22).
- Antony Ring-Davis Charalambous. Listed at Companies House as director (appointed 2008-10-23).
Review page sources: FCA Register (FRN 490521) · Companies House (06731780) · FSCS. Public records, provided for transparency.
