Baillie Gifford & Co 2021 graduate opportunities

• Name: Ashley Chalmers
• Role: Head of Applications and Project Delivery
• University: Computer Science

"Don’t change yourself to fit in, embrace your strengths and utilise them to be the best version of you that you can be."

Description:

Q: What have you struggled most with since starting your career, and do you have any advice on how to overcome it?

When I had my children I really struggled with work/life balance and the concept of being the primary carer whilst still having my own hopes and aspirations for the future. What I quickly realised was that this feeling of being primary carer and having that guilt was learned societal behaviour, and that actually I shared responsibility with my husband, who also wanted to be an equal in the partnership. I took time to listen to my husband and he then shared responsibility for things that I had just assumed responsibility for. This in turn gave me the space to balance everything out and allowed me to continue to pursue my career which is really important to me.

Q: What's the best career advice you've ever received?

Don’t change yourself to fit in, embrace your strengths and utilise them to be the best version of you that you can be.

Q: How did you choose what industry you wanted to work in?

As a Computer Science graduate I didn’t have a particular industry in mind, to be perfectly honest, instead I cast a wide net so I could meet people from different industries and companies and made a call from there. I was incredibly lucky to interview at Baillie Gifford, and what I found was more than a financial services company - it was the culture, people and mindset that attracted me to accept the offer here. My knowledge and interest in the financial sector has grown from there.

Q: What difference do you believe being a woman has made to your career?

Being a woman in technology is not the norm, so I believe that it gives me the edge to stand out. You need to be able to deliver on standing out, being noticed is one thing but adding value is really the key.

Q: What have you had to risk/sacrifice to get to the position you have?

I don’t believe I have had to risk or sacrifice anything to progress and succeed at Baillie Gifford. I have been supported throughout my career including maternity leave and reducing working hours. None of these things halted my progression in any way, which is a real testament to Baillie Gifford as employers.

Q: What advice would you give to aspiring graduates looking to work in your field?

Be curious, be yourself and don’t be afraid to say what your hopes and aspirations are for the future.

Q: Do you feel diversity is an issue where you work?

Diversity is not a box ticking exercise, it is a journey and a mindset. Baillie Gifford puts a lot of time and effort into Diversity & Inclusion and will continue to do so, as it is very important.

Q: What do you enjoy most about working in this industry?

I enjoy the pace; no two days are the same and we are constantly evolving and changing. The excitement of that is something that gets me out of bed every morning!

• Name: Alice Stretch
• Joined: 2018
• University: Kings College London
• Degree: Political Economy

Description:

FASCINATING PROJECTS

I’m currently working on the Global Alpha team and so far, I have researched Taiwanese semiconductor companies, American landscaping suppliers and companies supporting the electrification of travel. On the team we consider the merits of the business and piece together what the growth prospects could be. I’ve had the opportunity to host or join many company management meetings; from internet conglomerates to startup biotechs. My team is very experienced but eager to share their knowledge. In my research and in the weekly meetings I aim to bring a new perspective to company discussions or complex issues such as inflation resilience during a pandemic or how should we think about the future of business software.

COGNITIVE DIVERSITY

All the graduates bring different experiences and the learning curve is steep for the first five years. There’s a real belief in cognitive diversity. This is only furthered by being exposed to new areas through conferences, graduate feedback sessions, partnerships with academia, or consultants teaching us about the industry and thinking frameworks. Baillie Gifford also invites many fascinating speakers to the investment floor, so we can learn from their experience and viewpoints. I’ve attended talks by Helen Sharman (the first Briton in Space) and by Serhii Plokhii (author of Chernobyl).

COURSES & INSPIRATION

In our induction, we receive an introduction to the firm and investment management. We then progress to the first of our placements in a team. There is a real focus on encouraging our creativity and breadth of thinking, which I really enjoy. For example, there is a project in our second year where we get to research an area of healthcare that we think is going to see dramatic disruption or innovation over the next five to ten years. A year later we have a placement in the Client Services Department and, in our fourth year, we get the opportunity to do a three-month project. Previous trainees have used this project to meet businesses whilst travelling the Silk Road to meet local businesses or work at a food app start-up.

SOCIAL MOBILITY

My preconceptions meant the investment world did not appeal to me initially, as I received maintenance grants and worked thirty-hour weeks to support myself throughout university, but Baillie Gifford is unique and welcomes you into its culture. Here it is not about ‘fitting in’ but seeing what you can bring to the table, whilst keeping up the enthusiasm to learn. Through networks such as Women in Banking and Finance, Future Asset and Social Mobility Foundation, I have been supported by Baillie Gifford to talk to cohorts of people from similar backgrounds and share the experience of starting a career here.

• Name: Laura Murphy
• Joined: 2009
• University: Heriot-Watt
• Degree: Accountancy and Finance

Description:

FINDING MY ROLE

When I arrived at Baillie Gifford, the firm supported me to complete my Investment Operations Certificate, which was a great introduction to the investment management industry. As I completed my Chartered Accountant qualification at another firm, I didn’t even realise the role of ‘Fund Accountant’ existed, or what it entailed, so Baillie Gifford has shown me there are more opportunities out there.

FIRST STEPS

My first role in the firm was as a Fund Accountant. A big part of the job is the preparation of interim and annual accounts for our 34 UK funds, in line with regulatory requirements. Because period ends are staggered, we’re always working on different accounts. The funds are varied with many different investments, so the role is always interesting.

VARIED OPPORTUNITIES

Baillie Gifford really supports and encourages internal moves, so there’s lots of opportunity to take on new responsibilities and move into different areas. Until recently, I was a Fund Accounting Manager. This involves a great deal of responsibility, such as signing of the prices that clients are buying and selling at. Another part of my remit was representing the UK funds on the Global Tax Review Group and I also managed our Business Operations Graduate Programme for nearly four years. Recently I moved to a completely new role as Investment Department Training Manager, working with graduate trainees and experienced investors alike.

BUILDING KNOWLEDGE

The world of Fund Accounting is very different from that of Corporate Accounting, partly because of FCA regulation. There’s plenty to learn and I had to get to grips with a lot of new terminology. The training I received really helped to build my knowledge, and I also had the opportunity to attend an ‘Introduction to Fund Accounting’ course in London, which was very beneficial.